The urinary tract is the most common site of bacterial infections.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women without urinary tract anatomic abnormalities require frequent and repeated use of antibiotics, increasing the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms. The possibility of an alternative approach, with the use of vaccines produced from inactivated bacteria or structural components of these microorganisms, is a reality. Confirming the results observed experimentally, controlled clinical studies of oral or vaginal immunotherapy have shown reductions in the number of episodes of recurrence, without significant side-effects. We reviewed the mechanisms of aggression and defense involved in the pathogenesis of UTIs in women with anatomically normal urinary tracts, the evolution of knowledge about the immunotherapy of UTIs, and the vaccines already available or under development for the treatment of this important clinical condition.
Written by:
Carraro-Eduardo JC, Gava IA. Are you the author?
Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Reference: J Bras Nefrol. 2012 Jun;34(2):178-83.
doi: 10.1590/S0101-28002012000200011
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22850920
Article in Portuguese.
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