ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF THE BLADDER MUCOSA

Antibacterial activity of bladder mucosa is believed to be a host defe nse against infection. In this study we examined the antibacterial act ivity of the bladder mucosa without the effect of voiding. In addition we examined whether the property of adherence was advantageous for th e organism in contact with the bladder mucosa. For this, three adherin g and three nonadhering strains of E. coli were placed in contact with the bladder mucosa for 4 h in an in vivo rabbit model. E. coli grown in broth and applied to 32 bladders increased in titer by 1 log. E. co li grown in rabbit urine and applied to seven bladders increased in ti ter by 1.2 log. In contrast E. coli inoculated into control vials cont aining broth increased in titer by 2.3 log (P = 0.01). There was no si gnificant difference in the titer between adhering and nonadhering str ains of E. coli after 4 h of contact with the bladder mucosa. Bladder mucosa may have an inhibitory effect on bacterial growth (regardless o f adherence characteristics) and with urine flow serves to prevent inf ection of the bladder urine.