RESOLUTION TIME OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI CYSTITIS IS CORRELATED WITH LEVELS OF PREINFECTION ANTIBODY TO THE INFECTING ESCHERICHIA-COLI STRAIN

Objectives. A number of studies in animals have demonstrated that immunization against uropathogenic bacteria can lessen the severity or duration of induced urinary tract infections (UTI). This study examined whether preinfection levels of serum or urinary anti-Escherichia coli antibodies were correlated with length of time needed to resolve an induced E coli cystitis. Methods. Serum and urine anti-E coli antibody levels in 36 control and 42 vaginally immunized cynomolgus monkeys were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Regression analyses were used to determine correlations between resolution time and preinfection antibody level, and to estimate antibody levels that might be associated with effective resolution of an E coli UTI. Results. Linear regression analysis showed significant correlations between short resolution time and high levels of serum immunoglobulin M (IgM), urinary secretory IgA, and urinary Ige specific for the infecting E coli strain. Serum IgM and urinary IgG anti-E coli levels in monkeys that cleared infections early were significantly higher than in animals with protracted infections. Logistic regression estimated the serum IgM and urinary Ige anti-E coli levels associated with a 50% probability of accelerated clearance to be 3.3 mu g/mL and 2.7 mu g/24 hours, respectively. Conclusions. For this primate model, the observed correlations between short resolution time and pre-existing serum and urinary antibody suggest that antibody-mediated immunity is an important component of host defense against UTI.