Absence of bacterial DNA in the bladder of patients with interstitial cystitis

Purpose: Although bacterial infection has been long considered a possible cause of interstitial cystitis (IC), no definitive proof for or against this hypothesis has been presented so far. We have used 16S rDNA bacterial polymerase chain reaction to study bladder biopsies and sterile urine samples from patients suffering from IC. This method is sensitive and detects all known eubacteria. Materials and Methods: Bladder biopsies and sterile urine samples obtained by transabdominal puncture were studied from 11 patients with IC. As controls we studied 4 patients with other urological problems leading to partly similar symptoms and 5 healthy individuals. Results: All samples from the IC patients were negative. One positive sample was obtained from a woman with a history of urinary tract infections who suffered from nonIC ulcerative cystitis. Her sterile urine sample yielded Lactobacillus acidophilus. Conclusion: These results indicate that an ongoing bacterial infection is not the cause of interstitial cystitis.