Prevalence of bacterial prostatitis in benign prostatic hyperplasia

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pathology

Background:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BHP) is a common condition in aging men.
• Bacterial prostatitis and urinary tract infections (UTIs) can complicate BHP management.
• Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is a standard surgical procedure for symptomatic BHP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of bacterial prostatitis and UTIs in patients with BHP undergoing TURP.
• To investigate the relationship between pre-existing UTIs and bacterial growth in prostatic tissue.
• To assess the utility of pre-operative UTI status in identifying prostatic infection.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 100 consecutive patients with BHP undergoing TURP.
• Collection of pre-operative and post-operative urine cultures.
• Histopathological analysis and tissue cultures of resected prostatic tissue.

Main Results:

• A significant incidence of bacterial growth (42%) was detected in prostatic tissue samples.
• Pre-existing UTIs were not a reliable predictor of bacterial growth in prostatic tissue.
• Post-operative urine cultures showed varying patterns of bacterial presence.

Conclusions:

• Bacterial prostatitis is highly prevalent in patients with BHP undergoing TURP.
• Routine pre-operative UTI screening is insufficient to identify patients with prostatic bacterial infections.
• Further investigation into targeted pre-operative or intra-operative diagnostic strategies is warranted.