A quantitative in vivo assay for bacterial adherence to the urethra.

Bacterial adherence to urinary tract mucosal surfaces is thought to be the initiating event in ascending urinary tract infection. To study this process, we have developed a physiologic, quantitative, in vivo assay for bacterial adherence to the urethra. The effect of local (vaginal mucosa) immunization on the adherence of E. coli to the urethra was studied. Local immunization with a formalinized E. coli vaccine significantly reduced the capacity of viable cells of the immunizing strain to adhere to the urethra. Immunization-induced decrease in bacterial adherence to urethral mucosa is in agreement with our previous observations that immunization of the vaginal mucosa decreases the adherence of E. coli to the rat bladder. These data provide further evidence of a protective effect from local immunization against ascending urinary tract infection. No obvious change in indigenous urethral flora occurred after mucosal immunization.