SIGNIFICANCE OF BACTERIAL L-FORM IN URINARY INFECTIONS IN PARTICULAR, THE MECHANISM TO CAUSE PYELONEPHRITIS

• Published in: The Kurume Medical Journal Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 179 - 190
• Main Author: HIGUCHI, MASAHITO
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kurume University School of Medicine 1969
• ISSN: 0023-5679; 1881-2090
• DOI: 10.2739/kurumemedj.16.179

Bacterial L-form can survive under conditions unfavorable for maintaining bacterial life. For this reason, the possibility that bacterial L-form may participate in the occurrence of infectious diseases, especially of subclinical chronic diseases, in man has been proposed by many investigators . On the other hand, there are reports that antibiotics, lysozyme, antibody, complement, bacteriophage, etc. which can prevent bacterial cell wall synthesis are also factors that produce L-form. These facts give rise to a hypothetical idea that the production of L-form is probably one of side effects of antibiotics which are, at present, extensively used for treatments of various infectious diseases. Furthermore, there are few reports to indicate that inadequate administration of antibiotics may result in the production of L-form.To solve a problem that when bacteria in L-form are present in the kidney as a mode of life of bacteria what kind of effect they have on renal functions is considerably important, not only for evaluating diagnostic methods, disease progress or treatment of pyelonephritis but for discussing pathogenesis of L-form bacteria.I have investigated the significance of bacterial L-form in provoking pyelonephritis as a clinical requirement in my course of study. This report deals with the results of bacteriological, pathohistological and electron microscopic examinations which have been made after injecting L-form prepared in vitro into normal rats.