Entrococcus in Prostate - Infectious Diseases Message Board

baorford · 02-28-2009, 10:23 PM

What are the causes of Entercoccus in the prostate and when should there be concern. I have been taking various medications for more than one year prescribed by my Urologist and they can not seem to get rid of it.

harka · 03-01-2009, 07:01 PM

Enterococcus is a gram positive cocci which used to be part of the Streptococcus family (Group D Streptococcus) but is now in a family of its own. It is a bug which likes to live in the gut (especially the biliary tract), but also can colonize the lower urinary tract in people who have some form of obstruction of which a large prostate matches perfectly.

With urinary tract infections, regardless of the bacterium involved, it doesn't need to be treated unless:

1. The person is having symptoms.
2. The person is pregnant
3. The person has foreign material in the urinary tract (such as a nephrostomy tube or a stent).

In your case, are you having chronic symptoms of urinary tract infections or are you getting recurrent UTIs? If you are, what's likely happened is that the tract has becoming colonized with the bacteria which are relatively shielded from the immune system (the prostate is an area which is difficult for the immune system to access) and the colonization can perpetuate. If you have Enterococcus in the urine and you are NOT having symptoms, it doesn't need to be treated.

Why are you being followed by the urologist?

gto603 · 04-10-2010, 03:14 PM

I have similar problem. Was wondering if u found remedy?

midwayusa · 07-21-2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harka

Enterococcus is a gram positive cocci which used to be part of the Streptococcus family (Group D Streptococcus) but is now in a family of its own. It is a bug which likes to live in the gut (especially the biliary tract), but also can colonize the lower urinary tract in people who have some form of obstruction of which a large prostate matches perfectly.

With urinary tract infections, regardless of the bacterium involved, it doesn't need to be treated unless:

1. The person is having symptoms.
2. The person is pregnant
3. The person has foreign material in the urinary tract (such as a nephrostomy tube or a stent).

In your case, are you having chronic symptoms of urinary tract infections or are you getting recurrent UTIs? If you are, what's likely happened is that the tract has becoming colonized with the bacteria which are relatively shielded from the immune system (the prostate is an area which is difficult for the immune system to access) and the colonization can perpetuate. If you have Enterococcus in the urine and you are NOT having symptoms, it doesn't need to be treated.

Why are you being followed by the urologist?

My father in law has this infection of his bladder and the VA clinic which found it want him on IV drug therapy with Aminoglycoside and a second antibiotic. He is 91 nearly 92 years old and i know these carry very large risk of serious side effects, he has no symptoms, no pain, fever and has had no sugeries or anything done to his bladder or kidney's...why would they treat him?
midwayusa

harka · 07-23-2010, 10:27 AM

If he is having absolutely no symptoms, there is no indication for treatment. Many older men have evidence of enterococcus in the urine that is asymptomatic--that is normal and does not warrant treatment.