Urinary tract infection pattern in adult women followed from childhood.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of urinary tract infection (UTI) and bladder function in women who had experienced recurrent UTI in childhood, with and without consequent renal damage, and followed for three to four decades. METHODS: A population-based cohort of women who had been followed from the first UTI in childhood and previously studied at a median age of 27 years was studied at a median age of 41 years. Renal damage was evaluated by (99m)Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid scan. Clinical data were collected on the pattern of recurrent UTIs and bladder function. RESULTS: A total of 86 women were investigated, of whom 58 had suffered renal damage and 28 were without. Febrile UTI in adulthood had occurred in 22 patients, once in 15 women and twice or more in seven women. There was a change in the infection pattern over time, evident already in childhood, that was characterized by a decrease in UTI frequency and a shift from febrile to non-febrile infections. A significant association was found between renal damage and febrile UTI (p = 0.046), and between abnormal bladder function and recurrent non-febrile UTI (p = 0.002). There was no relationship between persisting vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and proneness to either symptomatic UTI (p = 0.99) or febrile UTI in adulthood (p = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: Among this study cohort there was a continuously decreasing rate of febrile UTI in adulthood. Persisting VUR was not related to UTI in adulthood. Abnormal bladder function was related to non-febrile UTI but not to febrile UTI.

Obstetrical outcome in women with urinary tract infections in childhood.

INTRODUCTION: Urinary tract infections (UTI) during childhood can result in permanent renal damage, with possible implications for future pregnancies. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate pregnancy outcomes in women followed after their first UTI in childhood. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cohort of 72 parous women was followed from their first UTI in childhood up to a median age of 41 years. Clinical data were obtained from antenatal and hospital records. Renal damage was evaluated by a (99m) Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid scan. Pregnancy blood pressure (BP), complications and UTIs were compared between women with and without renal damage. RESULTS: All women completed the investigations, 48 with and 24 without renal damage. No woman, irrespective of presence or absence of renal damage, was diagnosed with hypertension before the first pregnancy. Pregnancy-related hypertension was diagnosed in 10 of 151 pregnancies, all in women with renal damage. Preeclampsia occurred in four women. Women with renal damage had significantly higher systolic BP measured at the last antenatal visit of their first pregnancy, compared with women without renal damage (p = 0.005). During subsequent pregnancies both systolic and diastolic BP were significantly higher in women with than without renal damage (p = 0.02 and p = 0.03, respectively). CONCLUSION: In this population-based follow-up study we found a large proportion of women with renal damage after UTI in childhood. Women with renal damage had significantly higher BP during pregnancy compared with women without renal damage. Pregnancy-related hypertension was recorded only in women with renal damage. However, pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia, were few.

Colonization with Escherichia coli Strains among Female Sex Partners of Men with Febrile Urinary Tract Infection.

Of 23 unique Escherichia coli strains from 10 men with febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs) and their female sex partners, 6 strains (all UTI causing) were shared between partners. Molecularly, the 6 shared strains appeared more virulent than the 17 nonshared strains, being associated with phylogenetic group B2, sequence types ST73 and ST127, and multiple specific virulence genes. This indicates that UTIs are sometimes sexually transmitted.

Renal function in adult women with urinary tract infection in childhood.

BACKGROUND: The risk of deterioration of renal function in patients with urinary tract infection (UTI)-associated renal damage over several decades is incompletely known but of importance in regard to follow-up. METHODS: A population-based cohort of women followed from their first UTI in childhood was studied at median age of 27 years and now at 41 years. Renal damage was evaluated by (99m)Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid scan and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by (51)Cr-edetic acid clearance. Extent of individual kidney damage was graded as class 1 to 3. RESULTS: Eighty-six women completed the investigation, 58 with renal damage, and 28 without. Of those with damage, one had chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3, 14 stage 2, and 43 stage 1. Women with bilateral damage had lower GFR than those with no or unilateral damage (p < 0.0001). Women with class 3 damage had numerically but not significantly lower GFR than the others with damage (p = 0.07). Between the two studies there was significant decrease of GFR in the group with bilateral damage (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Women with UTI-associated renal damage had remarkably well preserved renal function, but those with bilateral or severe individual kidney damage may be considered for regular monitoring of GFR and blood pressure.

Ciprofloxacin for 7 days versus 14 days in women with acute pyelonephritis: a randomised, open-label and double-blind, placebo-controlled, non-inferiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Acute pyelonephritis is a common infection in adult women, but there is a paucity of controlled trials of its treatment and the optimum duration of antibiotic treatment has not been properly defined. We compared the efficacy of ciprofloxacin for 7 days and 14 days in women with community-acquired acute pyelonephritis. METHODS: In a prospective, non-inferiority trial undertaken at 21 centres of infectious diseases in Sweden, women (aged ≥18 years) who were not pregnant and had a presumptive diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis were randomly assigned to oral treatment with ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice daily for 7 days or 14 days. The first week was open label. A computer-generated randomisation list in block sizes of two was used for treatment allocation in a 1:1 ratio. The study was double-blind and placebo-controlled during the second week of treatment, which was either continuation of ciprofloxacin 500 mg or placebo tablets twice daily according to the randomisation code. Patients, carers, site investigators, and trial coordinating centre staff were masked to group assignment. The primary endpoint was the clinical and bacteriological outcome 10-14 days after completion of treatment with active drug. Analysis was by per protocol. This trial is registered with EudraCT, number 2005-004992-39, and ClinicalTrials.gov, number ISRCTN73338924. FINDINGS: 126 of 248 patients were randomly assigned to 7 days and 122 to 14 days of ciprofloxacin. 73 and 83 patients, respectively, were analysed. Short-term clinical cure occurred in 71 (97%) patients treated with ciprofloxacin for 7 days and 80 (96%) treated for 14 days (difference -0·9%; 90% CI -6·5 to 4·8; p=0·004; non-inferiority test). Cumulative efficacy at long-term follow-up was 93% in each group (68 of 73 vs 78 of 84; -0·3%; -7·4 to 7·2; p=0·015). Both regimens were well tolerated. Two patients discontinued ciprofloxacin because of myalgia with 7 days of treatment and itching exanthema with 14 days. Four (5%) of 86 patients assigned to 7 days of treatment who complied with study criteria and six (6%) of 93 assigned to 14 days reported an adverse event after the first week of treatment that was possibly or probably related to the study drug. In those assigned to 7 days, no patient had mucosal candida infection after the first week versus five treated for 14 days (p=0·036). INTERPRETATION: Our results show that acute pyelonephritis in women, including older women and those with a more severe infection, can be treated successfully and safely with oral ciprofloxacin for 7 days. Short courses of antibiotics should be favoured in an era of increasing resistance. FUNDING: Swedish Strategic Programme against Antibiotic Resistance (Strama).

Late bacille Calmette-Guérin infection with a large focal urinary bladder ulceration as a complication of bladder cancer treatment.

OBJECTIVE: • To report a late bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) complication previously not described in the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: • We reviewed our database with 858 patients treated with BCG from 1986 to 2008 and identified 13 male patients (1.8% of all male patients) who had a large tuberculous-like bladder ulcer. RESULTS: • All patients had high-grade tumours and seven had tumours invading lamina propria before BCG treatment. A solitary ulceration or inflammatory lesion, 10-50 mm in diameter, was seen at routine follow-up cystoscopy 2-34 months (median 8 months) after the first instillation. Significantly more patients had been treated with BCG-RIVM than with BCG-Tice (10/320 vs. three of 454, P < 0.01). BCG was cultured from urine 3-34 months (median 14 months) after the last instillation. • So far, eight patients have been successfully treated with rifampicin and isoniazid. Nine patients are still tumour-free 15-66 months (median 44 months) after the last transurethral resection before BCG treatment. • Another three patients had one to two non-invasive recurrences. One patient had an invasive recurrence and underwent cystectomy. The present study is limited by biases associated with its retrospective design. CONCLUSIONS: • This is the first report on persisting BCG infections with large inflammatory lesions in the bladder. Treatment is effective and the oncological outcome is good. • Mycobacterial cultures of the urine should be performed in BCG-patients with unclear inflammatory lesions in the bladder since a delayed diagnosis of a persistent BCG infection could result in a permanently reduced bladder capacity. • Large studies are warranted to study differences in efficacy and side-effects between different BCG strains.

Intake of Lactobacillus plantarum reduces certain gastrointestinal symptoms during treatment with antibiotics.

GOALS: To examine if intake of Lactobacillus plantarum can prevent gastrointestinal side effects in antibiotic-treated patients. BACKGROUND: Diarrhea is a common side effect of treatment with antibiotics. Some studies indicate that the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea can be reduced by administration of certain probiotic microorganisms. STUDY: Patients treated for infections at a university hospital infectious diseases clinic were randomized to daily intake of either a fruit drink with L. plantarum 299v (10(10) colony forming units/d) or a placebo drink, until a week after termination of antibiotic treatment. Subjects recorded the number and consistency of stools as well as gastrointestinal symptoms until up to 3 weeks after last intake of test drink. Fecal samples were collected before the first intake of test drink and after termination of antibiotic therapy and analyzed for Clostridium difficile toxin. RESULTS: Clinical characteristics on admission were similar in the 2 groups. The overall risk of developing loose or watery stools was significantly lower among those receiving L. plantarum [odds ratio (OR), 0.69; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.52-0.92; P=0.012], as was development of nausea (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.30-0.85; P=0.0097). Diarrhea defined as > or =3 loose stools/24 h for > or =2 consecutive days was unaffected by the treatment (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.33-6.0; P=0.86). No significant differences regarding carriage of toxin producing C. difficile were observed between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that intake of L. plantarum could have a preventive effect on milder gastrointestinal symptoms during treatment with antibiotics.

Host-pathogen relationships among Escherichia coli isolates recovered from men with febrile urinary tract infection.

BACKGROUND: Host-pathogen relationships in men with febrile urinary tract infection (FUTI) are poorly understood. METHODS: Phylogenetic background, extended virulence genotypes, and serotypes were determined for 70 Escherichia coli isolates recovered from urine samples obtained from men with FUTI for comparison with available data for 70 E. coli rectal isolates recovered from uninfected men. Bacterial traits were assessed in relation to underlying host characteristics (age, compromise status, and history of urinary tract infection) and acute manifestations (bacteremia, flank pain, and serum prostate-specific antigen [PSA] level). RESULTS: Compared with rectal isolates, FUTI isolates exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of virulence-associated phylogenetic groups, serotypes, and extraintestinal virulence genes. The latter included traditional prostatitis-associated traits (e.g., hemolysin and cytotoxic necrotizing factor), as well as unconventional traits, such as outer membrane protease T. These bacterial traits occurred largely independent of host age, urological compromise status, urinary tract infection history, and acute manifestations. However, certain traits were less prevalent in association with use of urinary tract instrumentation and significantly predicted elevated PSA levels. CONCLUSIONS: Considerable virulence capability may be required for an E. coli strain to cause FUTI in men, regardless of whether most compromising conditions are present. Bacterial traits that promote prostatic invasion may be relevant for the pathogenesis of FUTI, even among men without classic manifestations of acute prostatitis.

[How an outbreak of MRSA in Gothenburg was eliminated: by strict hygienic routines and massive control-culture program]. / Så hävdes MRSA-utbrottet i Göteborg: med strikta hygienrutiner och omfattande kontrollodlingsprogram.

The largest single-strain outbreak of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Scandinavia so far occurred at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Western Sweden 1997-2000. The strain identified was identical to the UK EMRSA-16 strain. 147 patients at 36 different wards became colonised or infected. Established routines for infection control had to be revised. The endemic situation necessitated an MRSA screening programme in October 1999 for all former hospital patients on re-admission. Since May 2000 no patient has been found with the outbreak strain at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure in adult women with urinary tract infection in childhood.

OBJECTIVE: To study 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and development of hypertension over four decades in women with childhood urinary tract infection (UTI) associated with renal damage. METHODS: A population-based group of 111 women was followed from their first UTI in childhood. The cohort was investigated at a median age of 27 years using standardized office BP measurement and was reinvestigated 15 years later with 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) and Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid scan for evaluation of renal damage. RESULTS: Eighty-six women with median age 41 years completed the reinvestigation. Hypertension occurred in 26 women, four of 28 (14%) without and 22 of 58 (38%) with renal damage (P = 0.04). The hypertension was diagnosed before entry in seven and in the study by ABPM in another 19 women. In 78 women, of which 50 had renal damage, the ABPMs were correlated to renal damage. There was significant difference between the groups without and with renal damage when mean 24-h systolic, mean daytime systolic and mean night-time SBP were compared (P = 0.03, P = 0.04, P = 0.01, respectively). The results remained significant when the group with damage was divided into subgroups with increasing extent of damage: class 1, 2 and 3 (P = 0.01, P = 0.02, P = 0.008, respectively). CONCLUSION: Women with UTI-associated renal damage but well preserved function had significantly higher 24-h ambulatory BP and more often hypertension than comparable women without damage. This shows that women with UTI-associated renal damage are at increased risk of hypertension and should be considered for regular BP screening, preferably with 24-h ABPM.

Ceftibuten versus trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for oral treatment of febrile urinary tract infection in children.

A randomized, open, coordinated multi-center trial compared the bacteriological and clinical efficacy and safety of orally administered ceftibuten and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) in children with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). Children aged 1 month to 12 years presenting with presumptive first-time febrile UTI were eligible for enrollment. A 2:1 assignment to treatment with ceftibuten 9 mg/kg once daily (n = 368) or TMP-SMX (3 mg + 15 mg)/kg twice daily (n = 179) for 10 days was performed. Escherichia coli was recovered in 96% of the cases. Among the E. coli isolates, 14% were resistant to TMP-SMX but none to ceftibuten. In the modified intention-to-treat population, the bacteriological elimination rates at follow-up did not differ significantly between patients treated with ceftibuten and those treated with TMP-SMX [91 vs. 95%, with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for difference of -9.7 to 1.0]. However, the clinical cure rate was significantly higher among those treated with ceftibuten (93 vs. 83%, with a 95% CI for difference of 2.4 to 17.0). Adverse events were similar for both regimens and consisted mainly of gastrointestinal disturbances. In conclusion, ceftibuten is a safe and effective drug for the empirical treatment of febrile UTI in young children.

Renal concentrating capacity in female outpatients with symptomatic urinary tract infection.

OBJECTIVE: Renal concentrating capacity (RCC) has been used as a tool in the diagnosis of the site of urinary tract infection (UTI). In this study, RCC was measured in women with symptoms of UTI in relation to the clinical picture and the bacterial species isolated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 633 outpatients aged > or =18 years with symptoms of UTI, a renal concentration test with desmopressin was performed at baseline. The test was repeated after antibiotic treatment in a subset of patients with osmolality values below the reference levels at entry. The bacterial species were identified and patients were classified as having either pyelonephritis or cystitis. RESULTS: RCC was reduced in patients infected with Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus saprophyticus compared to those who had negative urine cultures and increased after antibiotic treatment. Patients with symptoms of both pyelonephritis and cystitis had reduced RCC: 44/68 (65%) and 205/457 (45%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate a considerable overlap in RCC between patients with pyelonephritis and cystitis, making the osmolality test unreliable for the purpose of diagnosis of the site of UTI.

Phylogenetic and pathotypic comparison of concurrent urine and rectal Escherichia coli isolates from men with febrile urinary tract infection.

Among men with febrile urinary tract infection (FUTI), whether the host's fecal flora is the source for the urine strain ("fecal-urethral" hypothesis), and whether pathogenesis is driven by prevalence versus special pathogenicity, are unknown. Accordingly, pretherapy urine isolates from 65 men with FUTI were compared with concurrent rectal isolates from the same hosts according to serotype, genomic profile, phylogenetic group, and virulence genotype. The host's multiple rectal colonies included only the urine clone in 25% of subjects, the urine clone plus additional clones in 22%, and only nonurine clones in 54%. Compared with the 67 unique rectal clones, the 65 urine isolates were significantly enriched for phylogenetic group B2, virulence-associated serotypes, and specific virulence genes and contained more virulence genes (median, 10 versus 6: P < 0.001). In multivariable models, phylogenetic group B2, hlyD (hemolysin), cnf1 (cytotoxic necrotizing factor), iroN (siderophore receptor), ompT (outer membrane protease), and malX (pathogenicity island marker) most strongly predicted urine source. These findings challenge the fecal-urethral and prevalence hypotheses for FUTI pathogenesis and instead strongly support the possibility of alternate infection routes in some men and the special pathogenicity hypothesis. They also identify specific bacterial traits as potential targets for anti-FUTI interventions.

Ciprofloxacin for 2 or 4 weeks in the treatment of febrile urinary tract infection in men: a randomized trial with a 1 year follow-up.

In an open, prospective, single-centre study, 114 men with a presumptive diagnosis of febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) were randomized to oral treatment with ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice daily for 2 or 4 weeks. 72 patients were assessable for efficacy according to the protocol, 65 of whom had prostatic involvement by the infection, as measured by transient increases in serum prostate-specific antigen and prostate volume. All patients responded successfully with resolution of fever and symptoms during treatment. There were no significant differences in short-term bacteriological and clinical cure rates between the 2 treatment regimens [89 vs 97%, 95%, confidence interval (95% CI) for difference in proportions -3 to 19%; and 92 vs 97%, 95% CI -5 to 15%, respectively]. The lower cure rates among those allocated to the 2 week regimen may be explained by a higher frequency of urinary tract abnormalities requiring surgical intervention. After 1 y, 21 patients had experienced recurrences, which comprised asymptomatic bacteriuria (n = 10), symptomatic lower UTI (n = 5) and another episode of febrile UTI (n = 6). The results suggest that a 2 week course of ciprofloxacin may be adequate for febrile UTI in men.

Evolution of free, complexed, and total serum prostate-specific antigen and their ratios during 1 year of follow-up of men with febrile urinary tract infection.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the serum values of free, complexed, and total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and their ratios in men with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) during 1 year of follow-up. METHODS: A total of 54 men were prospectively enrolled in the study, and serum samples were obtained at the acute stage of the UTI and after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: Most men had a rise (median 3.1, 7.2, and 14.1 ng/mL, respectively) in free PSA (fPSA), complexed PSA (cPSA), and total PSA (tPSA) during the acute phase of the UTI. After 1 month, fPSA rapidly decreased to levels that were maintained during the rest of the follow-up period, and cPSA and tPSA declined more slowly. At 1, 3, and 6 months after the infection the fPSA/tPSA and fPSA/cPSA ratios were abnormal in one half to two thirds of the men (median ratio 11%, 15%, and 16% and 17%, 24%, and 24%, respectively), comparable to findings in patients with prostate cancer. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirmed that the prostate is involved in men with febrile UTI. The low fPSA/tPSA and fPSA/cPSA ratios in combination with sustained elevations of cPSA and tPSA for up to 6 months after UTI could be falsely interpreted as a sign of prostate cancer. The prolonged elevation of cPSA indicates a long-lasting inflammation of the nonadenomatous parts of the prostate.