Bacteria

Charting an Underexplored Landscape: The Genitourinary Microbiome

More sensitive cultivation methods and precise 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques have revealed that the human bladder hosts a significant microbiome and those diverse bacteria inside the bladder impact pediatric urologic diseases.  As recently as one decade ago, the human bladder was thought to be a sterile landscape. In recent years that view has shifted radically, opening brand-new fields of research aimed at clarifying the role the microbiome plays in common urologic diseases that affect children, according to a review article published online Feb. 22, 2018, by Current Urology Reports. “There is a growing appreciation for the role of diverse bacteria in contributing to improved health as well as triggering disease processes or exacerbating illness,” says Michael H. Hsieh, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Clinic for Adolescent and Adult Pediatric Onset Urology (CAPITUL) at Children’s National Health System and study senior author. Read more.

Source: Medical Xpress, APril 5, 2018

Bacteria

Weethinking the Role of Bacteria in Urinary Incontinence

We all know that feeling of suddenly needing to pee, and the agonizing worry that we might not find a toilet in time or make it that far. Sadly, for many people this is a regular occurrence and wetting themselves uncontrollably is an inevitable consequence.  Almost 1 in 5 women over the age of 44 suffer from what is known as Urgency Urinary Incontinence (UUI): experiencing a strong sensation of an urgent need to pee, followed by immediate leakage of a large volume of urine. It can severely adversely affect someone’s life, contributing to anxiety, depression and social isolation. Read more.

Source: EurekAlerts, October 7, 2016