Association of chronic urinary symptoms in women and Ureaplasma urealyticum

• Published in: Urology (Ridgewood, N.J.) N.J.), 2000-04, Vol.55 (4), p.486-489
• Main Authors: Potts, Jeannette M, Ward, A.Michele, Rackley, Raymond R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Azithromycin - administration & dosage; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the urinary system; Bacteriological Techniques; Bacteriuria - diagnosis; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease; Cystitis, Interstitial - diagnosis; Cystitis, Interstitial - drug therapy; Doxycycline - administration & dosage; Erythromycin - administration & dosage; Female; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Ofloxacin - administration & dosage; Treatment Outcome; Ureaplasma Infections - diagnosis; Ureaplasma Infections - drug therapy; Ureaplasma urealyticum - drug effects; Urination Disorders - diagnosis; Urination Disorders - drug therapy
• ISSN: 0090-4295; 1527-9995
• DOI: 10.1016/S0090-4295(99)00555-5

Objectives. To determine the incidence of Ureaplasma urealyticum in women experiencing chronic urinary symptoms and to determine whether antibiotic therapy targeting these organisms is effective. Methods. Forty-eight consecutive women referred to our academic medical center for chronic voiding symptoms and possible interstitial cystitis underwent urologic evaluation, including culture screening for U. urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis. Patients with positive cultures were treated with a 1-g dose of azithromycin; persistent infection was treated with 7 days of doxycycline, ofloxacin, or erythromycin. Patients reported symptom severity (0, mild; 3, severe) and voiding frequency before and 6 months after treatment. Results. Positive cultures were obtained in 23 (48%) of 48 patients; 22 had U. urealyticum and 1 had M. hominis. All had negative cultures after treatment. The mean symptom severity score improved with treatment (2.2 to 0.7, P