ABSENCE OF BACTERIAL-DNA IN THE BLADDER OF PATIENTS WITH INTERSTITIALCYSTITIS

Purpose: Although bacterial infection has been long considered a possi ble cause of interstitial cystitis (IC), no definitive proof for or ag ainst this hypothesis has been presented so far. We have used 16S rDNA bacterial polymerase chain reaction to study bladder biopsies and ste rile urine samples from patients suffering from IC. This method is sen sitive and detects all known eubacteria.Materials and Methods: Bladder biopsies and sterile urine samples obtained by transabdominal punctur e were studied from 11 patients with IC. As controls we studied 4 pati ents with other urological problems leading to partly similar symptoms and 5 healthy individuals. Results: All samples from the IC patients were negative. One positive sample was obtained from a woman with a hi story of urinary tract infections who suffered from nonIC ulcerative c ystitis. Her sterile urine sample yielded Lactobacillus acidophilus. C onclusion: These results indicate that an ongoing bacterial infection is not the cause of interstitial cystitis.