Bladder Microbiota Are Associated with Clinical Conditions That Extend beyond the Urinary Tract

Abstract

Background. Since the discovery of the human urinary microbiota (UM), alterations in microbial community composition have been associated with various genitourinary conditions. The aim of this exploratory study was to examine possible associations of UM with clinical conditions beyond the urinary tract and to test some of the conclusions from previous studies on UM. Methods. Catheterised urine samples from 87 men were collected prior to endoscopic urological interventions under anaesthesia. The composition of the bacterial community in urine was characterized using the hypervariable V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Samples from 58 patients yielded a sufficient amount of bacterial DNA for analysis. Alpha diversity measures (number of operational taxonomic units, ACE, iChao2, Shannon and Simpson indices) were compared with the Kruskal–Wallis test. Beta diversity (differences in microbial community composition) was assessed using non-metric dimensional scaling in combination with the Prevalence in Microbiome Analysis algorithm. Results. Differences in bacterial richness and diversity were observed for the following variables: age, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, smoking status and single-dose preoperative antibiotics. Differences in microbial community composition were observed in the presence of chronic kidney disease, lower urinary tract symptoms and antibiotic prophylaxis. Conclusions. UM appears to be associated with certain clinical conditions, including those unrelated to the urinary tract. Further investigation is needed before conclusions can be drawn for diagnostics and treatment.

Organic Acids Secreted by Lactobacillus spp. Isolated from Urine and Their Antimicrobial Activity against Uropathogenic Proteus mirabilis

“…Lewis et al [ 25 ] showed that women with low levels of Lactobacillus are more commonly colonized with pathogens than those with diverse microbiota, which naturally decreases the risk of UTI development. However, changes in the natural microbiota of the urogenital system can be caused by many factors and are associated with age [ 26 ], medical treatment [ 7 ], diet, or diabetes [ 27 ]. Although there are many scientific reports on the antibacterial properties of Lactobacillus against pathogens, these data mainly concern strains isolated from the genital tract or food [ 8 , 28 , 29 ].…”

Exploring the Preventive and Therapeutic Mechanisms of Probiotics in Chronic Kidney Disease through the Gut–Kidney Axis

“…To date, the literature discussing the relationship between gut microbiota and bladder microbiota is limited. However, kidney function undoubtedly impacts the bladder microbiota, as evidenced by Hrbacek et al (2022), who found distinct overall microbial compositions between patients with CKD and healthy individuals . Furthermore, Kramer et al (2018) discovered that among patients with CKD, those with better kidney function (higher eGFR) exhibited greater diversity in their urinary microbiota .…”

“…However, kidney function undoubtedly impacts the bladder microbiota, as evidenced by Hrbacek et al (2022), who found distinct overall microbial compositions between patients with CKD and healthy individuals. 22 Furthermore, Kramer et al (2018) discovered that among patients with CKD, those with better kidney function (higher eGFR) exhibited greater diversity in their urinary microbiota. 23 The composition of a patient's urine, which affects the urinary microbiota, can be influenced by kidney function.…”

Emerging role of the host microbiome in neuropsychiatric disorders: overview and future directions

“…Major phylum of the bladder microbiota is Firmicutes (Table 1 ) [ 34 , 35 ]. Traditionally, the urinary environment was considered sterile; however, recent research has demonstrated the presence of a diverse microbial population in both healthy and diseases [ 154 , 155 ]. In 2011, Siddiqui et al [ 156 ] reported that the urinary microbiota in healthy women was predominantly composed to Lactobacillus species, similar to the vaginal microbiota, while women with urinary incontinence had a more diverse and less stable microbial community.…”

“…These findings collectively suggest that disturbances in bladder function may contribute to mental health problems across different age groups, from children to elderly individuals. Given the emerging understanding of the role of bladder microbiota in bladder function [ 154 , 155 , 175 ], it is of great interest to investigate whether the bladder microbiota plays a role in both bladder function and psychiatric symptoms in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. Further research in this area may provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between bladder function, neuropsychiatric disorders, and bladder microbiota.…”