Cystitis caused by E. coli: why it occurs, how it manifests itself and where to turn.

Drugs for the treatment of cystitis

The peculiarity of the prescribed drugs for cystitis is that they are from different groups of antibiotics.
They have a common characteristic - a high concentration of antibiotic in the urine and a pronounced effect on E. coli.

From the ciprofloxacin group, they are treated with ciprofloxacin itself, cyprinol, ciprobay and other similar drugs.

They are also treated with ofloxacins - ofloxacin, zanocin, tarivid and other similar drugs.

Preparations with norfloxacin, such as nolicin, norbactin and normax.

There are other drugs from other groups.

But antibiotic therapy must be carried out as prescribed and under the supervision of a doctor.

7 symptoms of cystitis caused by E. coli

Particular attention should be paid to how cystitis manifests itself, the cause of which is E. coli.

This disease can cause the following symptoms:

frequent urination, including at night;
pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen, as well as burning and stinging when urinating;
the presence of blood and flakes in the urine;
change in the color of urine, the appearance of an atypical unpleasant odor;
the need to make an effort to start urinating;
general weakness and malaise;
possible increase in body temperature, deterioration of health, nausea, vomiting.

If you notice at least one of the symptoms, try to see a doctor as soon as possible to begin diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.

Pain with cystitis

Almost every woman has had cystitis at least once in her life.

Moreover, painful sensations are very characteristic of it.

When emptying the bladder, the patient experiences acute pain - as if she is being stabbed with a thousand sharp objects.

If urination occurs, a burning sensation is felt, a false urge to empty the bladder continues, discomfort in the lower third of the abdomen and pelvis.

Cystitis often occurs together with urethritis, since the urethra and bladder are affected.

Types of tests for the detection of E. coli: indications, rules for preparation and collection of material

The INVITRO network of independent laboratories offers more than 1,700 types of medical services at affordable prices. Find out prices...

Quality control of laboratory tests, carried out according to international standards, increases the likelihood of obtaining reliable test results. Find your nearest laboratory...

Private laboratories providing medical services in the cito mode can be a good solution for those who need to submit biomaterial for analysis as soon as possible. How to prepare?

Research results can be obtained:

in your personal account;
by phone;
by email;
at any of the medical offices.

Read more...
Calling a doctor to your home is convenient and practical. To learn more…

Millions of bacteria live in our body; their total weight is about two kilograms. E. coli occupies far from the last place among them. This bacterium can help a person for a long time in the formation of microflora and digestion, and can at one point turn into a serious medical problem. In our article we will talk about ways to detect E. coli.

E. coli: two sides of the same coin

Escherichia coli, or Escherichia coli, is a rod-shaped bacterium that lives in the intestines of humans and some animals. There are more than a hundred varieties of this stick. Most of them are completely harmless, but some can cause serious illness.

By the way, one of the rare types of E. coli - strain O141:H4 - became famous due to an epidemic in Europe in 2011. Then, in the countries of Europe and North America, approximately 4,000 people fell ill during the period from May to June, of which 43 people died.

In a healthy person, Escherichia coli lives in the large intestine. Its quantity is usually 104–1010 CFU per 1 ml of contents. In the intestines, this bacterium is involved in the digestion of food, synthesizes the vitamins we need, and also produces organic acids. These acids create a favorable environment for the development of lacto- and bifidobacteria.

The human body has various mechanisms that help control the number of bacteria and limit their habitats. But if the mechanism fails, both mild transient disorders and truly serious illnesses, sometimes fatal, can occur. E. coli can cause various diseases: from diarrhea to severe meningitis and coli-septicemia. The detection of bacteria in any organs except the large intestine already indicates the development of disorders.

Most often, E. coli enters other organs due to poor hygiene or decreased immunity. Getting into the female reproductive system, it causes colpitis, adnexitis, and other inflammatory diseases. Infection is especially dangerous during pregnancy and after childbirth. This can cause intrauterine infection in the baby and cause postpartum endometritis in the mother. Men are also not immune to this danger. E. coli entering the urethra can cause urethritis, prostatitis, inflammation of the appendages and testicles.

In addition, normal E. coli can mutate and become truly dangerous. Some species of this bacterium, such as O157:H7, O104:H4, O121 and O104:H21, produce strong toxins. They can cause hemolytic-uremic syndrome, peritonitis, pneumonia, and food poisoning.

Most often, mutated E. coli enters the body with food, such as unwashed vegetables, poorly processed meat, and milk. But in some cases, such strains can form inside the body as a result of mutations and gene exchange.

When can a test be ordered?

Pathogenic E. coli often causes diarrhea. Escherichiosis usually affects young children and people traveling to countries with poor hygiene (called traveler's diarrhea). A timely analysis will allow you to identify E. coli and begin treatment.

Some dangerous strains of E. coli can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This is a serious condition in which a large number of blood clots form in small vessels, the body’s own red blood cells are destroyed and multiple organ failure occurs - a severe stress reaction of the body. If there is any suspicion of HUS, an analysis for enteropathogenic (dangerous) Escherichia is required.

A routine bacteriological analysis, which is carried out for inflammatory diseases of the reproductive system, postpartum endometritis and others, can also show the presence of E. coli.

Another indication for the study is dysbiosis. Changes in the composition of the intestinal microflora can lead to digestive problems, rumbling and abdominal pain. Impaired formation of vitamins and increased absorption of toxins leads to weakness, fatigue and other nonspecific symptoms.

What types of tests are prescribed if a pathological process is suspected?

Escherichia coli can be detected in feces, urine, smears from the surface of the genital organs or from wounds, and when culturing washing water. Also during research it can be detected in the wound, in the lungs.

The main method of analysis for detecting E. coli is bacteriological culture. To do this, a small amount of material is placed in a nutrient medium on which bacteria multiply very well. The result is calculated after a few days by the number of colonies formed. The unit of measurement is CFU/ml, that is, the number of bacteria from which colonies grew during the study, per milliliter of material.

A sensitivity test to antibiotics or bacteriophages is performed on grown colonies. To do this, microbes are placed in a Petri dish and discs containing a specific antibiotic are placed on its surface. If the antibiotic works, an “empty” ring forms next to the disc, in which there is no growth of microorganisms. The same applies to bacteriophages.

In addition to the manual method, there is also a semi-automatic method for studying sensitivity. To do this, the microbe is “inoculated” not on Petri dishes, but on special cassettes that already contain a certain set of antibiotics. These cassettes are then placed into the analyzer.

There is also a PCR diagnostic method. It allows you to tell whether pathogenic E. coli is present in the material. But this method will not show either the number of bacteria or their sensitivity to drugs.

Other methods that do not involve isolating a pure culture of E. coli can indicate infection only indirectly. For example, a general urine test may reveal bacteria in the form of rods. But in order to determine their type, you will have to take an additional bacteriological culture. The situation is similar with coprograms. The test can provide insight into the condition of the stomach and intestines, but does not identify specific bacteria.

A general blood test can reveal changes characteristic of inflammatory diseases. But they can be caused not only by escherichiosis, but also by dysentery, pneumonia or any other inflammatory disease.

How to submit biomaterial for analysis for E. coli

Any bacteriological examination should be carried out before starting antibiotic treatment. Otherwise, you may get a false negative result.

A stool test for E. coli is collected in a sterile tube with transport medium. To do this, you need to prepare a vessel or other container in advance, wash it thoroughly and rinse it with boiling water. This container collects feces after natural bowel movements. You need to remove the applicator from a special test tube with the transport medium, immerse it in several areas of the collected biomaterial and put it back into the test tube, tightly closing the lid. If the collected material contains E. coli, bacteriological analysis will show this.

Did you know that... E. coli enters a child’s body in the very first days of his life. Already 40 hours after birth, the baby’s intestines are populated with normal microflora, including E. coli. This “cohabitation” will continue throughout his life.

Urine analysis for bacteriological examination is also collected in a special sterile container. You can collect material at any time of the day. Before doing this, be sure to take a shower so that bacteria from the surface of the skin does not enter the container. The sooner we can deliver the material to the laboratory, the better.

If urethritis, vaginitis or any other genitourinary diseases caused by E. coli are suspected, smears and scrapings of the urogenital tract are taken immediately in the laboratory or at a doctor’s appointment. A special brush is used to scrape the urethra, vaginal walls, or cervix. This is not a very pleasant procedure, but you can’t do without it.

In what form and when are the results provided?

A quick analysis that allows you to detect E. coli DNA in a material is carried out in 1–2 business days. The result of a bacteriological analysis for E. coli will have to wait longer - from 5 to 7 days. During this time, a cell culture is grown, their type is determined, and an analysis is carried out for sensitivity to antibiotics and bacteriophages.

Normally, E. coli should not be found anywhere except the large intestine. That is, if you give urine or a smear, the best result is a negative conclusion. If we are talking about intestinal contents, enteropathogenic E. coli such as O157:H7 should not be found here. Some laboratories conduct a rapid PCR test for a whole group of such bacteria.

When determining sensitivity to antibiotics or bacteriophages, a form is issued on which the degree of influence of the drug on the growth of the bacterium is written opposite each name. Using this form, the doctor will select the most effective antibiotic for a particular case in a few minutes.

Where can I get tested for E. coli?

The test for escherichiosis can be done both in a regular clinic and in a private laboratory. It is advisable to clarify in advance which research method is used.

Bacteriological studies are best carried out in clinics and laboratories equipped with automatic and semi-automatic analyzers. This eliminates the human factor and allows for research with a wide range of antibiotics and bacteriophages. Both modern public hospitals treating infectious diseases and private medical centers have such equipped laboratories.

It is also worth paying attention to the timing of the study. For bacteriological research this is at least five days. Previously, the bacteria simply did not have time to grow in sufficient quantities for analysis. A time longer than 7–10 days indicates that the study will be conducted in a third-party laboratory. This is a significant drawback, since we are talking about transporting biomaterial, which is undesirable: the earlier the material was delivered, the more reliable the result will be.

Since you will still have to go to the doctor with the results of the study to prescribe treatment, you should not choose unknown laboratories on the basis of the “closer to the body” principle. The doctor may simply not believe the results obtained and send the test again to his hospital or to a laboratory center that he trusts. And this will entail additional time and money expenses.

Escherichia coli is an integral part of the intestinal microflora. While it is under the control of the body, its cells help synthesize vitamins, digest food, and create a favorable environment for the life of other beneficial microbes. But any violation of this balance threatens pathologies, including serious inflammatory diseases. Fortunately, medicine helps us identify deviations from the norm in time and take appropriate measures.

Prevention of cystitis

Preventing cystitis is a difficult task, especially for women with weak immune defenses.

In people who are characterized by regular exacerbation of cystitis, the following preventive measures will be effective:

intimate hygiene, at least once a day;
do not use bubble bath;
do not wash yourself with scented cosmetics, but rather use soft cleansing gels for the genitals;
do not use talc, powders or special deodorants in the genital area;
take a shower rather than a bath (to avoid prolonged contact of the genitals with cosmetics used for washing);
urinates completely without holding back the process of emptying the bladder;
urinate immediately after the desire appears in order to reduce the load on the wall of the bladder, which makes it more sensitive to infectious pathogens;
panties should be cotton, not nylon, so that there is no “greenhouse” effect in the genitals;
do not wear tight jeans or trousers;
always wipe the perineum from the vagina to the anus, and not vice versa, so as not to further infect the genitals;
Drink as much plain water as possible (up to two liters per day);
douche only on the recommendation of a doctor.

Diagnostics

The therapeutic intervention regimen is determined after receiving the results of a smear taken from the cervix. In order for the examination result to be accurate, it is important to comply with the following conditions:

one day before the examination, exclude sexual intercourse;
stop using vaginal tablets and suppositories for 2-3 days;
On the day of the smear test, carry out the hygienic procedure without using soap or any cosmetic chemicals.

A smear for Escherichia is considered positive when E. coli is detected in the cervical canal, provided that a trend towards a decrease in the number of lactobacilli is detected.

Uro-hyal for cystitis

Now we will talk a little about the new Russian drug Uro-hyal, which has proven its effectiveness in treating cystitis.

This solution contains hyaluronic acid, which lines the mucous membrane of the bladder with an elastic coating.

And you can treat cystitis without fear of damaging this wall during therapeutic action.

Uro-hyal is indicated for chronic recurrent cystitis, radiation and interstitial cystitis.

Which doctor treats cystitis?

Inflammation of the bladder should be dealt with by urologists.

But women with cystitis often turn to a gynecologist for help, showing some ignorance.

After all, the bladder, like the urethra, belongs to the urinary system, and not to the reproductive system.

And the gynecologist may not be sufficiently informed about all the intricacies of cystitis and prescribe insufficient treatment.

As a result, complications may arise that could have been avoided if the attending physician was a urologist.

This must always be remembered and treated correctly.

Complications and causes of recurrence of cystitis

Untreated or undertreated acute cystitis threatens chronic cystitis, interstitial cystitis or pyelonephritis.

We have already talked about chronic cystitis.

Interstitial cystitis is considered to be cystitis without obvious direct causes causing it, but with very painful symptoms.

For its treatment, analgesics, antidepressants, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory and anticholinergic drugs and antispasmodics are used.

Acute pyelonephritis is characterized by fever, severe weakness, chills, headaches, increased sweating, nausea and vomiting.

Chronic pyelonephritis, in the inactive period, is characterized by periodic dull lumbar pain, aching in nature.

During an exacerbation, symptoms are similar to acute pyelonephritis.

Chronic pyelonephritis causes persistent hypertension.

Pyelonephritis is treated with antibacterial drugs.

Detoxification drugs and immunomodulators are also indicated.

If there is severe fever, then you need to limit the amount of protein in your daily food intake.

Treatment of chronic pyelonephritis is carried out with the same drugs, but antibiotic therapy lasts longer.

Recurrent course of chronic cystitis is observed when:

weak immunity:
inadequate treatment of the inflammatory process in the bladder;
when a secondary infection occurs.

By weakening or eliminating the influence of these factors, it is possible to avoid recurrent exacerbation of chronic cystitis.

Diagnosis of cystitis: detailed algorithm

Cystitis can be diagnosed based on the symptoms that we discussed above, but laboratory tests should not be neglected, because only a doctor can make a reliable diagnosis after conducting a series of tests.

So, what is the algorithm for diagnosing cystitis?

First of all, you need to conduct a general urine test with sediment microscopy , observing all the rules of hygiene; it is also important to use a sterile container for collection. When conducting a general analysis, an increased level of leukocytes will indicate the presence of an inflammatory process. Protein may appear in the urine and the red blood cell count may be elevated. When the sediment is stained using the Gram method, the rod-shaped bacteria themselves are visible.
Urinalysis according to Nechiporenko will show the exact number of red blood cells, leukocytes, cylinders in 1 ml of urine. The level of leukocytes indicates the severity of the inflammatory process.
Bacterial culture of urine for flora with determination of sensitivity to antibiotics and bacteriophages. Once bladder inflammation is confirmed, it is necessary to identify which bacteria present in the urine is causing the bladder inflammation. If E. coli is present in the analysis in a concentration exceeding 10^3 degrees, an acute form of cystitis is diagnosed. Due to the fact that pathogenic (harmful) types of bacteria can quickly adapt to drugs, it is important to test the bacterial culture of urine to determine the sensitivity of the pathogen to various antibiotics. This will allow you to choose the most effective drug.

Complete blood count (CBC) with leukocyte count and ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate). The analysis allows you to assess the general condition of the body and understand the degree of the inflammatory process and its effect on the entire body.
Urine test or smear test for hidden infections.
Blood test for estradiol for women (if there are problems with hormonal levels in the female part).

As an additional study, the doctor may prescribe an ultrasound of the bladder and kidneys , and, if necessary, an ultrasound of the pelvic organs.

In addition, intravenous urography .

If episodes of cystitis recur more than 3 times a year and not for the first time in life, then cystoscopy .

In some cases, the attending physician may prescribe an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the pelvic organs for diagnosis if all of the above methods do not allow us to establish the cause and accurate diagnosis of the disease. It must be borne in mind that MRI makes sense only if cystitis is chronic and does not respond to standard treatment methods.

Thus, the correct diagnostic methods will help to identify cystitis, prescribe effective treatment and defeat the disease in the shortest possible time.

Next, we will consider what methods of treating cystitis exist today.

Contagiousness of cystitis

Most often, as we have already discussed, infectious cystitis occurs from E. coli.

And such opportunistic microflora is not infectious to other people.

Sexual transmission of infection is not typical for cystitis.

But having unprotected sex can lead to cystitis or its relapse.

Exacerbations of cystitis are always accompanied by severe pain in the lower third of the abdomen, which serves as an obstacle to sex.

You cannot become infected with any form of cystitis directly from a person.

But by following certain rules of conduct in sexual life, you can avoid the causes that lead to cystitis.

It is necessary to be tested for STIs twice a year.

Regular sex and normal sexual activity increase your chances of not getting cystitis more than long periods of abstinence.

Timely treatment begins with a complete cure for cystitis.

And correct and regular adherence to preventive measures will help avoid recurrent cystitis.

Treatment of E.coli in men

Treatment of E.coli infection (drugs, regimen, duration of administration and dosage) is prescribed by the doctor, based on the individual characteristics of the patient’s condition and manifestations of the disease. It is important that the specialist is confident, thanks to diagnostic data, that the problem is caused by E. coli, since the latter is a conditional pathogen and can be present normally (the presence of signs of the disease and the detection of this pathogen in tests does not always indicate that the first is a consequence of the action of the second).

If E.coli is accidentally detected, treatment is indicated only if there are corresponding complaints, planning surgical manipulations on the organs of the urogenital tract, etc.

Treatment of E.coli in men is carried out with the help of antibacterial drugs, ideally after establishing the sensitivity of the causative agent to the latter (antibiotic resistance is determined by cultural testing).

In general, for the treatment of acute prostatitis, the drugs of choice are oral forms of fluoroquinolones, such as ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, etc., cephalosporins (II, III generations) - cefixime, cefuroxime, etc. Co-trimoxazole and doxycycline may be prescribed. The usual course of treatment should not be shorter than 4 weeks. Chronic prostatitis is treated longer (up to 12 weeks), mainly with fluoroquinolones.

Treatment of orchitis/epididymitis/orchiepididymitis is also carried out with fluoroquinolones, new generation cephalosporins, less often with co-trimoxazole, and ampicillin-based drugs. Duration - at least 4 weeks, the form of administration is determined by the severity of the disease.

As a rule, one drug is sufficient to treat E.coli infection. Treatment of a sexual partner is carried out only with the appropriate recommendation of a doctor. During therapy, you should abstain from sexual intercourse (especially anal-genital) or use barrier contraceptives. Sometimes a specialist may additionally prescribe enzyme and vitamin preparations, courses of massage and physiotherapy, etc.

Complications

In men, genitourinary tract infections often occur with complications (some experts consider the episode of UTI in men to be a complicated infection). Complicated infections are most often caused by antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli or an association of several groups of bacteria. The development of complications is facilitated by: • congenital or acquired structural abnormalities (kidney stones, foreign bodies, duplication of ureters, etc.); • metabolic disorders (diabetes mellitus, etc.); • decrease in the protective functions of the body (age-related, after transplantation, immunodeficiency states, etc.) and other factors.

In the absence of proper treatment, an infection caused by E.coli in men can lead to: • spread of the inflammatory process; • chronicity of pathology; • development of male infertility; • to such forms of potency disorders as loss of orgasm or even absence of orgasm, premature ejaculation; • abscess, testicular necrosis (complications of epididymitis), etc.

Prevention

To prevent the development of an infectious process, it is recommended to: • observe the rules of hygiene; • follow the rules of safe sex (regular sexual partner, use of barrier protection); • promptly treat gonococcal/chlamydial infections and chronic prostatitis; • adequately treat or correct chronic diseases; • adhere to the rules of a healthy lifestyle.

The materials posted on this page are of general informational nature. Establishing a diagnosis and prescribing treatment is the responsibility of the doctor. There are contraindications. Consult your doctor.