The preventive role of transurethral antibiotic delivery in a rat model

Abstract

Purpose

There is currently an emerging need for developing improved approaches for preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs) occurring during diagnostic or interventional procedures of the lower urinary tract. We aimed to establish a rat model to assess the use of transurethral antibiotic administration and to provide evidence that this could be used as a preventive therapy.

Methods

Animals received fosfomycin trometamol (FOF) either urethrally or orally prior to the procedure. A third group was generated as treatment controls and did not receive any medication. Urethral dilation was conducted to recapitulate an interventional procedure prior to intravesical Escherichia coli administration in all three groups. Finally, sham-operated animals were introduced as a fourth group which did not receive antibiotics or E. coli. Colony counts of urine and tissue cultures for the identification of E. coli and histopathological examinations of the bladder and prostate were conducted.

Results

Evaluation of infection intensities in cultures as well as histopathological examination of the bladder and prostate demonstrated a preventative role of transurethral FOF administration. In terms of efficiency, local administration of FOF was similar to oral administration.

Conclusions

These results suggest that transurethral antibiotic administration is a promising alternative for preventing UTIs occurring during diagnostic or interventional procedures of the lower urinary tract.

Keywords:

• cystitis
• fosfomycin
• infection
• prostatitis
• urinary tract

Acknowledgments/disclosures

We are indebted to Prof Dr James R Johnson for his permission to use the uropathogenic E. coli J96 strain. The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.