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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, Illinois, United States of America.
Plos One
|November 5, 2025
Summary
An indigenous murine urobiome exists, challenging the assumption of sterile mouse bladder urine. This discovery is crucial for understanding urinary tract infection models and experimental accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Animal Models
Background:
- Mice are extensively used to study urinary tract infection (UTI) mechanisms.
- Previous research assumed mouse bladder urine is sterile, similar to human bladder urine.
- Emerging evidence of urobiomes in other mammals necessitates re-evaluation of mouse urinary tract microbiota.
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 indigenous microbiota on UTI research.
Main Methods:
- Voided urine samples collected from female C57BL/6J mice across three intervals.
- Urine samples obtained via suprapubic aspiration for comparison.
- Multiple extraction and sequencing methods employed for comprehensive analysis.
Main Results:
- Confirmation of an indigenous murine urobiome.
- Detection of microbes in voided urine samples.
- Voided urine contains post-urethral microbes, indicating contamination.
Conclusions:
- An indigenous murine urobiome is present.
- The assumption of sterile mouse bladder urine is incorrect.
- The presence of urobiomes may influence UTI experimental outcomes.
