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The microbiome of the urinary tract—a role beyond infection

Key Points

  • Contrary to doctrine, the urinary tract is inhabited by a unique urinary microbiota; further research is needed to characterize this microbial community in health and disease

  • Alterations in the urinary microbiota have been linked to urologic disease, such as neurogenic bladder dysfunction, interstitial cystitis and urgency urinary incontinence

  • The microbiome, particularly that of the gut, has a key role in the development and progression of disease within the urinary tract

  • Although early studies of probiotics in patients with nephrolithiasis or bladder cancer have demonstrated variable effectiveness, such alternative treatment strategies focused on reconstituting the microbiome should be further explored

Abstract

Urologists rarely need to consider bacteria beyond their role in infectious disease. However, emerging evidence shows that the microorganisms inhabiting many sites of the body, including the urinary tract—which has long been assumed sterile in healthy individuals—might have a role in maintaining urinary health. Studies of the urinary microbiota have identified remarkable differences between healthy populations and those with urologic diseases. Microorganisms at sites distal to the kidney, bladder and urethra are likely to have a profound effect on urologic health, both positive and negative, owing to their metabolic output and other contributions. Connections between the gut microbiota and renal stone formation have already been discovered. In addition, bacteria are also used in the prevention of bladder cancer recurrence. In the future, urologists will need to consider possible influences of the microbiome in diagnosis and treatment of certain urological conditions. New insights might provide an opportunity to predict the risk of developing certain urological diseases and could enable the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.

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Figure 1: Definition of the microbiota, metagenome and microbiome as used in this Review.
Figure 2: Potential roles of the urinary microbiota in homeostasis of the urinary tract.

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Acknowledgements

The authors' research work was supported by The W. Garfield Weston Foundation.

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Whiteside, S., Razvi, H., Dave, S. et al. The microbiome of the urinary tract—a role beyond infection. Nat Rev Urol 12, 81–90 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrurol.2014.361

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