Actinobaculum schaalii in urological patients, screened with real-time polymerase chain reaction

Abstract

Actinobaculum schaalii is common among elderly people with suspected UTI and may be clinically significant, when found alone or together with other bacteria, among children and patients treated for kidney stones.

Actinobaculum schaalii: An Emerging Uropathogen?

“…A. schaalii is an emerging uropathogen mainly in elderly patients or patients with underlying urologic disease [7, 9, 13]. Although there are a few reports of nonurological infections [14, 15], the spectrum of infection primarily ranges from benign cystitis to severe pyelonephritis with urosepsis.…”

“…Although there are a few reports of nonurological infections [14, 15], the spectrum of infection primarily ranges from benign cystitis to severe pyelonephritis with urosepsis. A. schaalii has been reported in both inpatient and outpatient populations, either as an isolated organism or associated with other common uropathogens [8–11, 13]. Unfortunately, our routine laboratory methods will not identify A. schaalii from urine specimens as this bacterium requires CO 2 and has sluggish growth in comparison to common uropathogens.…”

“…A. schaalii , which is the focus of this paper, was first described as a cause of human UTIs in 1997, with subsequent reports [6–8]. Growing evidence suggests that A. schaalii may be a more common uropathogen in the elderly than previously reported, especially those with obstructive uropathy [7–13]. …”

“…They found 22% of urine samples were positive for A. schaalii in the over 60-year-old patient population, whilst only 7% of samples were positive in the less than 60-year-old cohort [9]. Using the same diagnostic technique in a cohort of patients with kidney stones, they showed that more than 24% of urine samples were positive for A. schaalii , which was the only pathogen in more than 60% of those patients [13]. …”

Mise au point : les uropathogènes émergents

“…Il appartient à la famille des Actinomycetaceae. Ce sont des bacilles à Gram positif qui sont proches des espèces des genres [18]. L'existence de conditions prédisposantes telles qu'un âge > 60 ans ou < 3 ans ou une pathologie urinaire sous-jacente favorise le portage.…”