Co-culture of Methanobrevibacter smithii with enterobacteria during urinary infection

Urinary tract infections are known to be caused by bacteria, but the potential implications of archaea have never been studied in this context.

In two different university hospital centres we used specific laboratory methods for the detection and culture of archaeal methanogens in 383 urine specimens prospectively collected for diagnosing urinary tract infection (UTI).

Methanobrevibacter smithii was detected by quantitative PCR and sequencing in 34 (9%) of the specimens collected from 34 patients. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter sp., Enterococcus faecium and mixed cultures were detected along with M. smithii in eighteen, six, three, one and six urine samples, respectively. Interestingly, using our specific culture method for methanogens, we also isolated M. smithii in 31 (91%) of the 34 PCR positive urine samples. Genotyping the 31 isolates using multispacer sequence typing revealed three different genotypes which have been previously reported in intestinal microbiota. Antibiotic susceptibility testing found the 31 isolates to be in vitro susceptible to metronidazole (MIC: 1 mg/L) but resistant to fosfomycin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, amoxicillin-clavulanate and ofloxacin, commonly used to treat bacterial UTI. Finally, 19 (54%) of the 34 patients in whose urine samples M. smithii was detected were diagnosed with UTIs, including cystitis, pyelonephritis and prostatitis.

Our results show that M. smithii is part of the urinary microbiota of some individuals and could play a role in community-acquired UTI in association with enteric bacteria. FUND: This study was supported by IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.