New research has specifically focused on a condition called Urgency Urinary Incontinence, and this syndrome affects more women than men. The condition involves a powerful sensation to urinate and can quickly lead to the leakage of a large volume of urine. The effects, as well as physical, can also be psychologically damaging.
The causes of Urgency Urinary Incontinence are largely unknown. The trigger is abnormal signalling, prompting the bladder muscles to contract involuntarily, but different factors will cause this trigger in the first place.
One research group, from Oregon Health and Science University, think that bacteria are the cause. For this to make sense, the common belief that urine is sterile needs to be turned upside down. In 2014, as Pharmaceutical Microbiology reported, Evann Hilt of Loyola University of Chicago put forward this notion that many different types of bacteria are found in urine. This is based on DNA evidence.
The new study indicates that the variety and type of bacteria that are present in the urinary tract play a key role in urgent urinary incontinence. Because few bacteria found in urine can be cultured on media much of the assessment has been undertaken using molecular microbiological methods.
By collecting samples from women who suffer with Urgency Urinary Incontinence, and comparing these with women who do not suffer with this condition, key differences have been noted in bacterial diversity. The findings suggest that certain bacteria are responsible for the irritative symptoms that trigger the condition. Where bacterial diversity in the urinary tract is lower, the effects of these problematic bacteria are more pronounced.
In a research briefing the lead scientist behind the recent investigation, Dr. Rahel Nardos hopes the new information will be valuable and that “the scientific community can learn to understand how these bacteria behave under normal and diseased conditions.”
The research has been reported to the journal Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. The research is titled “Does the Urinary Microbiome Play a Role in Urgency Urinary Incontinence and Its Severity?”
