Intracellular bacterial communities in patient with recurrent urinary tract infection caused by Staphylococcus spp and Streptococcus agalactiae: a case report and literature review

Edwin Barrios-Villa, Pablo Mendez-Pfeiffer, Dora Valencia, Liliana Caporal-Hernandez, Manuel G. Ballesteros-Monrreal*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are among the most frequent pathologies worldwide. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the leading etiological agent; however, depending on the patient's characteristics, the etiology may include some atypical pathogens. Some pathogenic bacteria can internalize in the urothelial and phagocytic cells complicating treatment and timely diagnosis. Case presentation: We present a clinical case of a married female patient with urological alteration, constant catheterization, and urethral dilation with recurrent UTI for ten years, with five episodes per year and reports of negative urine culture. The microscopic analysis revealed intracellular bacterial communities (IBC) and pyocytes with active bacteria. A protocol was designed for the release of intracellular bacteria in urine samples; without the proposed treatment, the urine culture was negative. However, upon releasing the internalized bacteria, we obtained a polymicrobial urine culture. We isolated and identified Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus simulans, and Streptococcus agalactiae. All microorganisms were sensitive to nitrofurans and sulfas. The patient is under treatment with nitrofurantoin and continuous follow-up by our workgroup. Conclusions: It is essential to look for IBC and pyocytes with active bacteria in patients with recurrent UTIs to avoid false-negative urine culture results and provide timely treatment. Polymicrobial culture must be considered depending on the patient and clinical history.

Original languageEnglish
Article number46
JournalAfrican Journal of Urology
Volume28
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors are pleased to acknowledge the Departamento de ciencias Químico-Biológicas y Agropecuarias, and División de Ciencias e Ingenierías from Universidad de Sonora.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).

Keywords

  • Intracellular bacterial communities
  • Recurrent UTI
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Staphylococcus spp
  • Streptococcus agalactiae

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