Urinary tract infections and P blood group antigens

The glycolipids of the P blood groups have been isolated from human urothelial cells and have proved to be likely receptor sites for Escherichia coli. The presence or absence of these antigens may be a factor influencing the adherence of bacteria to the urothelial cells. Therefore, an experimental group of 27 infection-prone premenopausal women, ranging in age from seventeen to thirty-six years, received blood group typing in the ABO and P systems. These women were found to have a normal distribution in the ABO system. Eighty-five per cent were found to be the P2 phenotype compared with the expected frequency of 21 per cent in the general population. These data suggest that there is a genetic influence at the cellular level which may make certain women more prone to urinary tract infections and differences in bacterial adherence.