EAU 2018: Acute Obstructive Pyelonephritis Can Be Caused By E. coli at ≤104 Bacteriuria Level Experimental Model

Copenhagen, Denmark (UroToday.com) Bacteria in the urine, or bacteruria, can be symptomatic or asymptomatic in patients. In patients where it is symptomatic, it may cause development of upper urinary tract infections which can lead to acute obstructive pyelonephritis (AOP). Dr. M.I. Kogan the team sought to determine the rate of AOP in an animal experimental model.

The authors obtained urine from a patient with AOP and created an inoculum of E. Coli bacteria in three different concentrations (102, 103, and 104 cfu/ml). This was injected into 30 New Zealand rabbits. To do this, the peritoneal cavity of each animal model was accessed through a midline abdominal incision. Then one of the kidneys was located and the ureter was ligated with suture below the pelvis. Once ligated, the inoculum was injected into the renal pelvis with a 26-guage needle. Autopsies were performed on the animals at Day 1, 3, and 5 after the injection to examine the kidney and the number of neutrophils in the kidney tissues were determined.

Acute inflammation was observed in all Day 1 kidney tissues. It increased with higher E. Coli inoculum concentrations as well as from Day 1 to 5. Based on the results, the authors concluded that the severity of acute obstructive pyelonephritis can be reliably associated with the concentration of pathogen and acute inflammation duration.

Speaker: M.I. Kogan

Authors: Kogan M.I., Maslyakova G., Napsheva A., Bedjanian S., Pasechnik D., Naboka Y., Gudima I.

Written by: Renai Yoon, Department of Urology, University of California-Irvine, at the 2018 European Association of Urology Meeting EAU18, 16-20 March, 2018 Copenhagen, Denmark