IMMUNOLOGIC STUDIES ON POLYMICROBIAL URINARY INFECTIONS

Abstract

Significance of polymicrobial infections of the urinary tract was investigated immunologically in 24 patients with long term indwelling catheter.
Relation between bacterial counts in the urine and the serum or urinary antibody levels were studied. Serum and urine-recoated. antibody coated bacteria were detected in relation to the serum or urinary antibody levels and the urinary irnmunoglobuline levels.
The results obtained were as follows:
1) The serum antibody titers to autologous antigens derived from patients' own feces were below 64. Therefore, the significnat titer of serum antibody was considered 128 or higher.
2) There was a significant correlation between the serum antibody titers to homologous antigens and the bacterial counts in urine.
3) The serum antibody titers tended to rise in two weeks in cases with increasing bacterial counts.
4) There was a significant correlation between the response of serum antibody and the positivity of S-R. ACB of IgG class, and also between the response of urinary antibody and U-R. ACB of IgG class. The positive rate of S-R. ACB to IgG and IgA was higher than that to S-IgA and IgM, and the positive rate of U-R. ACB to IgG and S-IgA was higher than the others.
5) There was no significant difference in the urinary immunoglobulin levels of IgG and IgA between U-R. ACB positive and negative cases. The levels of urinary immunoglobulin were related to the positivity of U-R. ACB to S-IgA, and IgM of which the positive rate was low.
6) The positive rate of the urinary antibody was 25% of 12 cases who had had indwelling-catheter for a long time. In all of the urinary antibody positive cases, U-R. ACB to IgG class could be detected. Many organisms isolated from one urinary tract produced their own serum and urinary antibody response and showed positive reaction in R. ACB detection.