Intracellular Bacterial Communities: A Potential Etiology for Chronic Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Victoria C S Scott; David A Haake; Bernard M Churchill; Sheryl S Justice; Ja-Hong Kim

doi:10.1016/j.urology.2015.04.002

Intracellular Bacterial Communities: A Potential Etiology for Chronic Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Urology. 2015 Sep;86(3):425-31. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2015.04.002. Epub 2015 Jul 15.

Authors

Victoria C S Scott¹, David A Haake², Bernard M Churchill³, Sheryl S Justice⁴, Ja-Hong Kim³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. Electronic address: vscott@mednet.ucla.edu.
² Department of Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Division of Infectious Diseases, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA; Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
³ Department of Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
⁴ Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's, Hospital, Columbus, OH; The Ohio State University School of Medicine, Columbus, OH.

Abstract

Patients with persistent lower urinary tract symptoms and negative urine cultures are often difficult to treat. Infection may go undetected in these patients because the concentrations of bacteria in their urine are beneath the threshold of standard urine culture techniques. Empiric treatment may result in temporary relief, followed by recurrent symptoms. Occult and recurrent urinary tract infection may be due to both invasion of the bladder wall by uropathogenic Escherichia coli and the formation of biofilm-like intracellular bacterial communities. This review examines emerging evidence for a role of intracellular bacterial communities in human infection.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Bacterial Adhesion / physiology*
Bacterial Infections / complications*
Bacterial Infections / diagnosis
Bacterial Load
Chronic Disease
Female
Humans
Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / microbiology*
Male
Recurrence
Urinary Tract Infections / complications*
Urinary Tract Infections / diagnosis
Urothelium / microbiology*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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