Bacterial Cystitis

Bacterial Cystitis

Viral or Bacterial?

Bacteria causing disease

Bacterial Cystitis is in fact bacterial! (as you can see in the name)

Escherichia coli in most cases.

Preventive Methods

Pandemic, epidemic, localized?

Sub-clinical or Infectious?

Drink plenty of water, urinate frequently, wipe from back to front, gently wash skin around vagina and anus, etc.

Most would think this is pandemic, but not exactly. This is a world wide infection, but it is not contagious or being spread from anyone. Therefore it can't be classified as any of these.

In most cases of Bacterial Cystitis, this disease is sub-clinical due to the fact that it is asymptomatic.

Treatment/Antibiotics

Sources

http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/kidney_and_urinary_tract_disorders/urinary_tract_infections_uti/bladder_infection_cystitis.html

http://www.healthtalk.org/peoples-experiences/chronic-health-issues/living-urinary-catheter/urinary-tract-infections-utis

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cystitis/basics/risk-factors/con-20024076

http://www.cobfoundation.org/cystitis/bacterial-cystitis

http://www.bladderhealthawareness.org/

-Intravesical treatments

-Short dosage of antibiotics unless it is more severe.

-With postmenopausal women, a vaginal estrogen creme can be used.

-Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be used to ease the pain.

-Nitrofurantoin at a dosage of 100 mg twice per day for five days is an example of antibiotic treatment. There is no vaccine for cystitis, just treatments to help lower the spread. This antibiotic is static so it doesn't actually kill the cell.

Hereditary?

How to detect

Most ways of detecting the disease is through clean-catch urine specimens and using a strip of test paper that will detect nitrites.

Bacterial Cystitis (UTI) is not a hereditary disease. People may predisposed factors that could lead to Cystitis like other immune problems, but a bladder infection itself cannot be inherited.

Transmission

Does ethinicity matter?

Best Carrier

Host Range

The bacteria enters through the urethra and then toward the bladder. The reservoir for this bacteria is within fecal matter. Portal of entry is the urethra; portal of exit is through urination. It's route of transmission is through a route of fecal flora.

So far, there have not been noticable differences of the rate of infection between different ethnicities.

Mainly women are infected with Bacterial Cystitis. Women more prone to getting those with this disease are ones with reduced urine flow, catheters, sexual intercourse, poor hygiene, diabetes, elderly people, etc. Also, small animals can acquire this disease

Women are the more common carrier for this infection because of their anatomy they are more prone to catch this disease.

Infection

Virulent types of E. coli may enter through the urethra and find its way to the bladder where it will attach to the urinary tissue and begin to infect surrounding cells. It is more likely for women to become infected because their urethra is shorter than men's and it's closer to the anus.

Non-lethal or Lethal?

Life Cycle

It is particularly non lethal but in some cases like pyelonephritis, it can potentially be deadly.

The E. coli in this disease have tons of molecules along with them to help with the binding to urinary tract tissue. The E. coli is also able to bind and sense urine, and it uses the flow of urine as their signal to attach tightly to the tissue where it’s bonded. Once the E. coli is in the bladder, the host cells will consume the bacteria trying to kill it. Yet some with survive this and create a sort of biofilm inside the cells. These bacteria are surrounded by proteins and sugars to protect itself from being killed. The biofilm starts to take over the cells while releasing fluids that are infecting surrounding cells. This is also blocking the immune system response therefore creating an advantage for the bacteria.

Signs/Symptoms

-burning or stinging when urinating

-frequent need to urinate

-cloudy/dark urine, strong smell

-blood in urine

-mild fever and chills

-dull pain in lower back

-generally feeling unwell

In some cases, cystitis can lead to a more severe case called Pyelonephritis which is located in the upper urinary tract.