Bacteriuria Eradication Through Probiotics

In children with spina bifida and neurogenic bladder dysfunction, the need for intermittent bladder catheterization increases the risk of bacteriuria. In many patients, this leads to a clinically significant urinary tract infection (UTI). Many of these children are placed on long term, low dose antibiotic suppression to prevent recurrent urinary infection. Unfortunately, bacteriuria often persists despite daily antibiotic therapy, and breakthrough urinary tract infections are common. Furthermore, this approach carries the potential for deleterious side effects, and may promote the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Urinary tract infection in girls occurs when virulent bacteria migrate from the rectum and colonize the vagina and peri-urethral mucosa, thus gaining access to the bladder. In girls with spina bifida, access to the bladder is greatly facilitated by catheter passage. Antibiotic prophylaxis relies on maintaining a low dose of antibiotic in the urinary stream, which decreases peri-urethral colonization, and prevents proliferation of bacteria after they gain access to the bladder. An alternative approach to daily antibiotic prophylaxis is to decrease the risk of urinary colonization with virulent bacteria by supplementing the normal bacteria flora with non-infection causing strains of bacteria.

Probiotics are dietary supplements containing potentially beneficial bacterial strains such as Lactobacillus. The safety of oral administration of probiotics has been demonstrated in several studies over the last 30 years. Studies using L. rhamnosus GG, a probiotic introduced in the late 1980s to alleviate diarrhea, have shown promising results when used for UTI prevention. In one study, researchers found that the subjects consuming Lactobacillus GG drinks had fewer episodes of UTI compared to those women not receiving probiotics. A placebo-controlled study in premature infants also used L. rhamnosus GG in an attempt to prevent UTI. The number of urinary infections was reduced but statistically the difference was not significant. Finally, a recent randomized clinical trial demonstrated that the rate of UTI in patients taking prophylactic antibiotics was similar to that of patients taking Lactobacillus acidophilus alone. The efficacy of probiotic usage in the spina bifida population has not been reported.

Our objective is to determine whether over the course of 3 months, probiotics can reduce preexisting or new bacteriuria in girls with spina bifida who perform clean intermittent catheterization for bladder emptying. We will also attempt to ascertain whether changes in bacteriuria are associated with vaginal colonization by the administered probiotics.