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Establishment and Characterization of UTI and CAUTI in a Mouse Model
Published on: June 23, 2015
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Evidence for an indigenous female mouse urobiome
Sidra Sohail1, Daniel Bushnell2, Mark Khemmani1
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|September 2, 2025
Summary
An indigenous murine urobiome exists in mice, challenging the long-held assumption of sterile bladder urine. This discovery impacts how urinary tract infection models are interpreted in research.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Animal Models
Background:
- Mice are crucial models for studying urinary tract infections (UTIs).
- The presence of a mouse urobiome has not been previously established.
- Indigenous microbiota can influence experimental outcomes in UTI models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the existence of an indigenous murine urobiome.
- To determine if mouse bladder urine harbors microbial communities.
- To assess the impact of sampling methods on urobiome detection.
Main Methods:
- Expressed urine samples were collected from female C57BL/6J mice at three intervals.
- Suprapubic aspiration was used for urine collection in a subset of mice.
- Multiple extraction and sequencing methods were employed for microbial analysis.
Main Results:
- An indigenous murine urobiome was detected in the collected urine samples.
- Expressed urine samples contained microbes originating from post-urethral regions.
- Comparison between sampling methods confirmed the presence of a urobiome.
Conclusions:
- Mice possess an indigenous urobiome, contrary to previous assumptions.
- The presence of this urobiome must be considered in UTI research.
- Expressed urine reflects post-urethral microbial contamination, not necessarily bladder-specific microbiota.
