Skip to main content
About the Institute
  • English
  • Français
  • Español
  • Russian
  • Portuguese
  • Polish

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Women and their microbiota
  3. Escherichia coli or the influence of intestinal microbiota on urinary tract infections
  • Learn all about microbiota
    • The gut microbiota
    • The ENT microbiota
    • The pulmonary microbiota
    • The urinary microbiota
    • The skin microbiota
    • The vaginal microbiota
  • Microbiota and related conditions
    • Digestive disorders
    • Women disorders
    • Metabolic disorders
    • Skin disorders
    • Pediatric disorders
    • Psychiatric disorders
    • Neurological disorders
    • Respiratory disorders
    • Urinary disorders
  • Act on your microbiota
    • Probiotics
    • Prebiotics
    • Fecal Microbiota Transplant
    • Diet
  • Publications
    • Thematics folders
    • News
    • Press room
    About the Institute

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Healthcare professionals section

Find here your dedicated section
Biocodex logo
The power of your gut
My microbiota as a woman
Our marvelous microbiota

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Women and their microbiota
  3. Escherichia coli or the influence of intestinal microbiota on urinary tract infections
Our marvelous microbiota

Escherichia coli or the influence of intestinal microbiota on urinary tract infections

Women health
The urinary microbiota

Due to anatomical reasons, women are much more prone to urinary tract infections (UTI) than men. The most frequent form in women is cystitis, a bladder infection caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli.

The power of your gut
My microbiota as a woman
Our marvelous microbiota
  • Learn all about microbiota
    • The gut microbiota
    • The ENT microbiota
    • The pulmonary microbiota
    • The urinary microbiota
    • The skin microbiota
    • The vaginal microbiota
  • Microbiota and related conditions
    • Digestive disorders
    • Women disorders
    • Metabolic disorders
    • Skin disorders
    • Pediatric disorders
    • Psychiatric disorders
    • Neurological disorders
    • Respiratory disorders
    • Urinary disorders
  • Act on your microbiota
    • Probiotics
    • Prebiotics
    • Fecal Microbiota Transplant
    • Diet
  • Publications
    • Thematics folders
    • News
    • Press room
    About the Institute

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Healthcare professionals section

Find here your dedicated section
Biocodex logo

Sources

This article is based on scientific information

Sharing is caring

Your friends might be interested in this topic. Why not share it?

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail

Sections

About this article

Created 08 October 2019
Updated 03 January 2022

Escherichia coli is naturally present in our intestinal microbiota but can become a pathogen by using some of its infectious properties such as the ability to adhere to the bladder. It is then referred to as uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). Urinary tract infections occur when the urogenital area is contaminated by the fecal flora. Bacteria can colonize the urethra exclusively (causing urethritis), spread to the bladder and cause acute cystitis, or reach the kidneys (causing pyelonephritis). This bacterial migration from the anal area to the urogenital system raises two questions: are the responsible strains different from a genetic standpoint or do they need to adapt when they migrate from the intestines to the bladder? For preventive purposes, could it be possible to predict the risk of contracting a UTI using fecal Escherichia coli samples?

No adaptation is required

Several studies4, 5 from a Danish team provided us with some answers. The researchers observed that the fecal strains of Escherichia coli in patients with UTI were the same as those found in their own urine samples and also the same as in healthy women. The only differences were a few minor genetic variations. In other words, Escherichia coli is able to migrate from the intestines to the bladder without needing to adapt at all. The evidence thus showed that fecal microbiota composition cannot predict the risk of developing a urinary tract infection. Then, what are the causes of UTIs? UPEC-mediated urinary tract infection probably results from a combination of factors related to the bacteria (ability to adhere to intestine cells, virulence...) and to the host’s immune status, creating an infection-prone environment

Sources

4 Nielsen KL, Stegger M, Kiil K, Godfrey PA, et al. Whole-genome comparison of urinary pathogenic Escherichia coli and faecal isolates of UTI patients and healthy controls. Int J Med Microbiol. 2017 Dec

5 Nielsen KL, Stegger M, Godfrey PA, et al. Adaptation of Escherichia coli traversing from the faecal environment to the urinary tract. Int J Med Microbiol. 2016 Dec

Old sources

 

 

Tags
Cystitis

en_view en_sources

    See also

    Actu GP : Endométriose : le microbiote vaginal comme outil prédictif de sévérité ? Can the vaginal microbiota be used as a tool for predicting the severity of endometriosis?
    Actu GP : Vaginose bactérienne : bientôt une greffe de microbiote vaginal ? Bacterial vaginosis: could there soon be a vaginal microbiota transplant ?
    Focus
    Women and their microbiota
    • Microbiota, vulvovaginal infections and cystitis
      • Is bacterial vaginosis a disease?
      • Escherichia coli or the influence of intestinal microbiota on urinary tract infections
      • Are certain women predisposed to STIs?
    • Reproductive health, pregnancy and postpartum
      • Role of the vaginal microbiota in the health of the reproductive system and that of future generations
      • Cervical microbiome in postpartum HIV-positive women
    • After menopause
      • Natural remedies against osteoporosis?
      • Oral and intestinal microbiota: towards a different management of menopause
    • Microbiota and cancer
      • Microbiota and breast cancer
      • Expert interview : Pr. Laurence Zitvogel
    Created 08 October 2019
    Updated 03 January 2022

    About this article

    To know more about this topic.

    Main topic

    Women health

    Related microbiotas

    The urinary microbiota
    Is bacterial vaginosis a disease?
    Are certain women predisposed to STIs?
    Focus

    Women and their microbiota

    Microbiota, vulvovaginal infections and cystitis

    Is bacterial vaginosis a disease? Escherichia coli or the influence of intestinal microbiota on urinary tract infections Are certain women predisposed to STIs?

    Reproductive health, pregnancy and postpartum

    Role of the vaginal microbiota in the health of the reproductive system and that of future generations Cervical microbiome in postpartum HIV-positive women

    After menopause

    Natural remedies against osteoporosis? Oral and intestinal microbiota: towards a different management of menopause

    Microbiota and cancer

    Microbiota and breast cancer Expert interview : Pr. Laurence Zitvogel
    Our marvelous microbiota

    Prebiotics: what you need to know

    With just one different letter separating prebiotics and probiotics, no wonder they get confused! To muddy ...

    Find out more
    Antibiotics: what impact on the microbiota and on our health?
    12.10.2022

    Antibiotics: what impact on the microbiota and on our health?

    Read the article
    Nature and microbiota: how does it affect your health?
    08.07.2022

    Nature and microbiota: how does it affect your health?

    Read the article
    Actu GP : Règles douloureuses : et si le microbiote vaginal était en cause ?
    15.06.2021

    Is the vaginal microbiota to blame for painful periods?

    Read the article
     Microbiote urétral : des infections urinaires masculines mieux comprises
    06.01.2023

    Urethral microbiota: a better understanding of male urinary tract infections

    Read the article

    Probiotics

    Probiotics: essential information for understanding and choosing them correctly. What exactly are probiotic...

    Find out more
    03.11.2021

    Antibiotic resistance: an odd “souvenir” from exotic destinations

    Read the article
    Actu GP : Microbiote, asthme et antibiotique : une histoire de nez !
    13.10.2020

    Microbiota, asthma and antibiotics: it’s all in the nose!

    Read the article
    My health, my microbiota
    Follow our Facebook page
    My microbiota as a woman
    Read more to know the different things you can do to keep your vaginal microbiota balanced
    Find your dedicated section
    Healthcare professionals
    • Learn all about microbiota
      • The gut microbiota
      • The ENT microbiota
      • The pulmonary microbiota
      • The urinary microbiota
      • The skin microbiota
      • The vaginal microbiota
    • Microbiota and related conditions
      • Digestive disorders
      • Women disorders
      • Metabolic disorders
      • Skin disorders
      • Pediatric disorders
      • Psychiatric disorders
      • Neurological disorders
      • Respiratory disorders
      • Urinary disorders
    • Act on your microbiota
      • Probiotics
      • Prebiotics
      • Fecal Microbiota Transplant
      • Diet
    • Publications
      • Thematics folders
      • News
      • Press room
      About the Institute

      Join the microbiota community

      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • YouTube

    Healthcare professionals section

    Find here your dedicated section
    Biocodex logo
    The power of your gut
    My microbiota as a woman
    Our marvelous microbiota
    • English
    • Français
    • Español
    • Russian
    • Portuguese
    • Polish

    Browse the site

    • Learn all about microbiota
      • The gut microbiota
      • The ENT microbiota
      • The pulmonary microbiota
      • The urinary microbiota
      • The skin microbiota
      • The vaginal microbiota
    • Microbiota and related conditions
      • Digestive disorders
      • Women disorders
      • Metabolic disorders
      • Skin disorders
      • Pediatric disorders
      • Psychiatric disorders
      • Neurological disorders
      • Respiratory disorders
      • Urinary disorders
    • Act on your microbiota
      • Probiotics
      • Prebiotics
      • Fecal Microbiota Transplant
      • Diet
    • Publications
      • Thematics folders
      • News
      • Press room
      About the Institute

      Join the microbiota community

      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • YouTube

    Healthcare professionals section

    Find here your dedicated section
    Biocodex logo

    Discover

    The power of your gut
    My microbiota as a woman
    Our marvelous microbiota

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Healthcare professionals section

    Find here your dedicated section

    Redirection

    You are about to be redirected and leave our website

    • Be redirected
    • Stay on the Biocodex Microbiota Institute's website

    Stay with us !

    Join the microbiota community and receive "The Essentials" once a month to stay up to date with the latest news on the microbiota.

    * Mandatory Fields

    BMI 20-35

    Explore

    Insomnie chez les personnes âgées : le microbiote intestinal impliqué ?
    19.01.2023

    Insomnia in the elderly: are gut microbiota to blame?

    Read the article
    16.01.2023

    Schizophrenia: when following your gut leads to aggression

    Read the article
    Periods & vaginal microbiota: Science in progress…
    11.01.2023

    Periods & vaginal microbiota: Science in progress…

    Read the article

    Stay updated

    Join the Microbiota Community and receive once a month “The Essential” to stay up to date on the latest news about microbiota.

    * Mandatory Fields

    BMI 20-35

    • Learn all about microbiota
      • The gut microbiota
      • The ENT microbiota
      • The pulmonary microbiota
      • The urinary microbiota
      • The skin microbiota
      • The vaginal microbiota
    • Microbiota and related conditions
      • Digestive disorders
      • Women disorders
      • Metabolic disorders
      • Skin disorders
      • Pediatric disorders
      • Psychiatric disorders
      • Neurological disorders
      • Respiratory disorders
      • Urinary disorders
    • Act on your microbiota
      • Probiotics
      • Prebiotics
      • Fecal Microbiota Transplant
      • Diet
    • Publications
      • Thematics folders
      • News
      • Press room
      About the Institute

      Join the microbiota community

      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • YouTube

    Healthcare professionals section

    Find here your dedicated section
    Biocodex logo

    Discover

    The power of your gut
    My microbiota as a woman
    Our marvelous microbiota

    Healthcare professionals section

    Find here your dedicated section

    Join the microbiota community

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    © 2022 Biocodex. All rights reserved.

    • Cookies Policy
    • Data protection policy
    • GTU
    • Sitemap
    • Cookies settings
    Biocodex logo