Clinical Presentations and Epidemiology of Urinary Tract Infections

Otitis media infections and antibiotic treatment have been linked to the risk of developing autism spectrum disorder. Broad‐spectrum antibiotics may alter the composition of the gut flora microbiota, which is hypothesized to be involved in the regulation of the immune system. This study examines the interplay among otitis media, antibiotics, and the subsequent risk of developing autism. Based on the entire Danish population, 780,547 children were followed from birth (January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2008) until December 31, 2012. We calculated adjusted hazard ratios and absolute risks of autism with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) related to previous otitis media diagnoses and antibiotic prescriptions redeemed at Danish pharmacies. The absolute risk of autism before age 10 was increased among children with otitis media (1.2% for females and 3.3% for males) and in children who had redeemed an antibiotic prescription (0.6% and 2.7% for females and males) compared to children without a history of otitis media and antibiotics usage (0.4% for females and 1.9% for males). Similarly, we found an increased hazard ratio of autism associated with otitis media (1.83 95% CI 1.71–1.95) and antibiotics usage (1.29 95% CI 1.17–1.43). A history of both otitis media and antibiotic treatment did not further increase the risk of autism. Although the risk of autism was associated with otitis media and treatment with antibiotics, we found little evidence of a synergistic effect between otitis media infections and treatment with antibiotics. Autism Res 2018, 11: 1432–1440. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary We investigated whether otitis media ear infections and antibiotic treatment were associated with autism spectrum disorder. Autism was more common in children who had had an otitis media infection or who had been treated with antibiotics. Given the observational nature of our data, our study cannot be used to conclude that otitis media or use of antibiotics cause autism, as our findings may be subject to unobserved confounding.

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), a pathogenic subset of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), is an important cause of hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), and a rare cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) with associated HUS. EHEC strains attach intimately to intestinal epithelium with formation of actin pedestals (attaching-effacing (A/E) lesions); however, the mechanism of EHEC attachment to the uroepithelium is unknown. We conducted a retrospective study on archived urinary bladder specimens from gnotobiotic piglets that naturally developed cystitis associated with EHEC O157:H7 infection following oral inoculation and fecal shedding. Paraffin-embedded bladder tissues from three piglets with cystitis and immunohistochemical evidence of EHEC O157:H7 adherence to the uroepithelium were processed for and examined by transmission electron microscopy. EHEC O157:H7 bacteria were found in one of three piglets, intimately attached to pedestals on the apical surfaces of the superficial urothelium (umbrella cells). Cystitis was significantly associated with the length of survival of the piglets post-inoculation (p = 0.0339; estimated odds ratio = 2.6652). This is the first report of E. coli causing A/E-like lesions in the uroepithelium, and also evidence of the utility of the gnotobiotic piglet as a model for studies of the pathogenesis of EHEC UTIs.

Prevalencia de infección de la vía urinaria y perfil microbiológico en mujeres que finalizaron el embarazo en una clínica privada de Lima, Perú Resumen OBJETIVO: Describir la prevalencia de infección de la vía urinaria en mujeres que finalizaron el embarazo en una clínica privada (nivel II-2) de Lima, Perú, además de conocer el perfil microbiológico e identificar la resistencia a los antibióticos. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio retrospectivo, observacional y transversal efectuado en pacientes que finalizaron el embarazo en la Clínica Jesús del Norte del distrito de Independencia de Lima, Perú, entre enero de 2016 y diciembre del 2017. Criterio de inclusión: pacientes con al menos seis citas médicas de control prenatal en la clínica. Se obtuvo el resultado de los urocultivos y el de resistencia a los antibióticos. Se buscaron medidas de tendencia central como promedios, desviación estándar y frecuencias. RESULTADOS: Se registraron 1455 pacientes que cumplieron con el criterio de inclusión; de éstas 108 (7.4%) tuvieron infección de la vía urinaria con urocultivo positivo. El microorganismo aislado con más frecuencia fue Escherichia coli en 70 (63.6%) casos, con resistencia a ampicilina (60.8%), ciprofloxacina (34.7%) y norfloxacina (34.7%), y sensibilidad a amikacina, nitrofurantoína y cefuroxima. En 13 (11.8%) pacientes también se identificó Escherichia coli y enterobacterias productoras de betalactamasas de espectro extendido resistentes a cefalosporinas. CONCLUSIÓN: La prevalencia de infección de la vía urinaria estuvo dentro del valor de referencia expresado en los reportes internacionales (7.4%). Los microorganismos aislados con mayor frecuencia fueron E. coli y E. coli productora de betalactamasas de espectro extendido.