[Value of antibody coated bacteria in the localization and follow-up of chronic urinary tract infections (author's transl)].

Antibody coating of urinary bacteria was performed in order to localize the site of recurrent urinary tract infections in 39 para or tetraplegics. The antibody-coated bacteria test was positive with anti human globulin in 19 out of 39 patients: upper urinary tract infections 7/10, prostatitis 3/3, lower urinary tract infections 9/26. Of the 19 patients with positive antibody-coated bacteria test 14 were tested with monospecific antisera: 13 were IgG positive and 11 were IgA positive; IgM was never present. Among the 11 IgA positive tests, we search for the presence of IgA secretory piece in 8 and all were positive. The immunoglobulins on the bacterial wall result, in part, from local production of urinary antibody. Although positive results with anti human globulins occurred frequently in patients with lower urinary tract infections, this test appears to be a useful screening test for localization of infection in patients with recurrent urinary tract infection.