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