While antibiotics prescribed for urinary tract infections are intended to destroy bacteria present in the bladder during cystitis, Australian research has just unveiled the good bacteria present in the female pelvic floor.
Every woman knows that urinary tract infection is one of the most common and painful diseases there is. In France, there are around 850,000 cases per year and this is the second reason for consultation and prescription of antibiotics. But, while these serve to destroy the bacteria present in the patient’s bladder, it seems that not all of them are to be thrown away. Indeed, according to an Australian study published in April in the journal Communication nature, many bacteria located there would be good for health.
149 species of bacteria
During his research, Dr Samuel Fosteur of the Hudson Institute in Australia, studied the bladders of 77 women. Implementing new cultivation techniques, he was able to identify 149 species of bacteria. And while a few of them are associated with painful UTIs, most were not. On the contrary, many of them were beneficial to the female reproductive system. However, it is still too early at this point to determine exactly which ones.
Indeed, “we have great difficulty in defining what is a good or a bad bacterium”, explains Samuel Foster to the Australian site. IFL Science. So just because bacteria are good for the reproductive system does not mean that they will be good for the bladder as well. But, since the immune system does not try to get rid of them, “there is a good chance that they are beneficial”, tempers the scientist.
The good bacteria in the bladder
This is the first time that a study has shed light on the good bacteria present in the bladder. Until then, the researchers having only succeeded in collecting it during analyzes carried out during a urinary tract infection (the bacterium E. Coli is considered to be responsible for cystitis in 90% of cases), they had concluded that the bladder was free of bacteria when healthy.
Thus, “we now believe that several bacteria residing in both the vagina and the bladder could protect against UTIs, which means that the pelvic floor microbes could be viewed as a single urogenital microbiota. This should change the way. which we consider bacteria localized in the female pelvic floor, paving the way for further research and new diagnostic and treatment options for urinary tract infections, “concludes Samuel Foster in the study.
In addition to the antibiotics prescribed by doctors (remember that, in general, antibiotics tend to weaken our immune system by destroying the bacteria that defend us, leaving the field free to pests), it is recommended during a urinary tract infection drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol, coffee and spicy foods.
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