Gut commensal microbiota and decreased risk for Enterobacteriaceae bacteriuria and urinary tract infection

Abstract

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common complication in kidney transplant recipients and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Recent evidence supports a role for the gut as a source for UTIs but little is known about the relationship between gut commensal bacteria and UTI development. We hypothesized that the abundance of gut commensal bacteria is associated with a lower risk of developing bacteriuria and UTIs. We performed gut microbiome profiling using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V4-V5 hypervariable region on 510 fecal specimens in 168 kidney transplant recipients. Fifty-one kidney transplant recipients (30%) developed Enterobacteriaceae bacteriuria within the first 6 months after transplantation (Enterobacteriaceae Bacteriuria Group) and 117 did not (No Enterobacteriaceae Bacteriuria Group). The relative abundances of Faecalibacterium and Romboutsia were significantly higher in the fecal specimens from the No Enterobacteriaceae Bacteriuria Group than those from the Enterobacteriaceae Bacteriuria Group (Adjusted P value