Bacterial virulence in urinary tract infection

Summary, in English

Bacteriuria is associated with acute disease conditions of varying severity.48 and 62 Consequently, the definition of bacterial virulence for the urinary tract depends on the end-point chosen. Acute pyelonephritis is characterized by fever, flank pain, and general malaise. Laboratory findings include pyuria (leukocytes in the urine), elevated acute phase reactants in serum (C reactive protein [CRP], erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]), elevated levels of cytokines in serum and urine, and later increased levels of antibacterial IgA antibodies in urine and serum.



Cystitis is characterized by dysuria, urgency, frequency of urination, and sometimes suprapubic pain. Acute cystitis should not be accompanied by acute phase reactants or cytokines in the serum, however, there is pyuria, and IL-6 and IL-8 levels in urine may be elevated.



Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) is commonly detected at screening because it is not accompanied by any of the symptoms seen for acute pyelonephritis and acute cystitis. The laboratory findings vary. The patients may have low level cytokine responses and leukocytes in urine, or they may have no host response to infection.

• Author: Catharina Svanborg; Gabriela Godaly
• Department/s: Division of Microbiology, Immunology and Glycobiology - MIG
• Publishing year: 1997
• Language: English
• Pages: 513-529
• Publication/Series: Infectious Disease Clinics of North America
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 3
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0891-5520(05)70371-8
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Topic: Microbiology in the medical area; Immunology in the medical area
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 0891-5520