Bacteria found in the bladders of healthy women differ from bacteria in women with a common form of incontinence, according to researchers from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. These findings, published July 9, 2014, in the American Society for Microbiology's online journal mBio, suggest that bacterial communities may play a role in female urinary health.
"Urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) is a common, yet poorly understood, condition with symptoms similar to urinary tract infections," says Alan Wolfe, PhD, co-investigator and professor of Microbiology and Immunology. "If we can determine that certain bacteria cause UUI symptoms, we may be able to better identify those at risk for this condition and more effectively treat them."
Approximately 15 percent of women suffer from UUI and yet an estimated 40 percent to 50 percent do not respond to conventional treatments. One possible explanation for the lack of response to medication may be the bacteria present in these women.
This study evaluated urine specimens of 90 women with and without UUI symptoms. Samples were collected through a catheter and analyzed using an expanded quantitative urine culture (EQUC) technique. This technique was able to find bacteria that are not identified by the standard culture techniques typically used to diagnose urinary tract syndromes. This study also used 16S rDNA sequencing to classify bacterial DNA. The UUI and non-UUI urinary bacteria differed by group based on both culture type and sequence.
"These findings may have strong implications for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of women with this form of incontinence," says Paul Schreckenberger, PhD, co-investigator and director of the clinical microbiology laboratory at Loyola University Health System.
Source: Loyola University Health System
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.