Decreased nanobacteria levels and symptoms of nanobacteria-associated interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome after tetracycline treatment.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to detect whether nanobacteria (NB) reside in urine and bladder tissue samples of patients with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) and whether antibiotic therapy targeting these organisms is effective in reducing NB levels and IC/PBS symptoms.


METHODS
Twenty-seven IC/PBS patients underwent cystoscopy. Bladder biopsies and urine samples were obtained and cultured for NB, which were identified by indirect immunofluorescent staining and transmission electron microscopy.


RESULTS
Eleven bladder samples showed growth of microbes that were identified to be similar to NB. Homologous study of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene suggested that the NB could be the pathogen. For enrolled 11 patients, NB levels decreased dramatically after tetracycline treatment, and they reported significant reduction in the severity of IC/PBS symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
A high prevalence of NB was observed in female IC/PBS, and anti-NB treatment effectively improved the symptoms, which suggest that NB may cause some cases of IC/PBS.
Zhang
Qing-hua
QH
Urological Research Institute of PLA, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, People's Republic of China.
Shen
Xue-cheng
XC
Zhou
Zhan-song
ZS
Chen
Zhi-wen
ZW
Lu
Gen-sheng
GS
Song
Bo
B
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001706:Biopsy; D003556:Cystitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003558:Cystoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013752:Tetracycline