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Different inflammatory responses are associated with Ureaplasma parvum-induced UTI and urolith formation

Leticia Reyes1, Mary Reinhard, Mary B Brown

  • 1Department of Infectious Disease & Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. lreyes@ufl.edu

BMC Infectious Diseases
|January 28, 2009
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Host factors, not bacterial load, dictate Ureaplasma parvum infection outcomes. This study in Fischer 344 rats reveals distinct immune responses correlating with asymptomatic urinary tract infections (UTI) or complicated UTI with urolithiasis, offering insights into Ureaplasma-host interactions.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Urology

Background:

  • Epidemiologic studies link Ureaplasmas to urogenital tract disease, but their pathogenic role is debated due to asymptomatic colonization in healthy individuals.
  • A Fischer 344 (F344) rat model was developed to investigate host factors in Ureaplasma-associated urinary tract infections (UTI).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To define the role of the host in Ureaplasma parvum-induced UTI.
  • To characterize the immune response and disease profiles in a rodent model of Ureaplasma infection.

Main Methods:

  • Fischer 344 rats were inoculated with varying doses (10^1 to 10^9 CFU) of a rat-adapted Ureaplasma parvum strain.
  • Animals were assessed for UTI development, urolithiasis, and immune responses, including cytokine profiles and cellular infiltration.

Main Results:

  • Inoculum dose influenced UTI incidence, with higher doses (> or = 10^7 CFU) leading to persistent infection.
  • Two distinct UTI profiles emerged: asymptomatic UTI with monocytic/lymphocytic response and elevated IFN-gamma, IL-18, MCP-1; and complicated UTI with struvite urolithiasis, neutrophilic response, and elevated IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, GRO/KC.
  • Asymptomatic UTI was associated with a higher rate of kidney infection.

Conclusions:

  • Complications of Ureaplasma parvum infection are primarily determined by host-specific factors, not microbial load.
  • The immune response observed in F344 rats mirrors human responses in ureaplasmal-associated diseases.
  • This rodent model is valuable for studying Ureaplasma parvum-host interactions in UTI pathogenesis.

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