Controlled Human Urine Transfusion for UTI

The primary objective of this pilot study is to investigate the safety and tolerability of controlled human urine transfusion in female patients with recurrent UTI's. Seconday and exploratory objectives are to evaluate the diversity of the urine microbiome after urine transfusion, to assess the longevity of changes in the urine microbiome in patients after urine transfusion over a period of 6 months and to assess the frequency of UTI's after the transfusion.

Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common bacterial infections in nursing homes, in acute care and the general practice. Increasing antibiotic resistance of enterobacteriaciae poses a challenge to the treatment of UTIs. Unlike previously thought, the bladder is colonized with bacteria, which together form the urine microbiome. Recurrent urinary tract infections are associated with a decreased urinary microbiota diversity, potentially making recolonization by bacterial interference in the bladder an alternative therapy for UTI. Pioneering studies showed that local bacterial interference in the bladder can be performed safely and has potential as prophylactic intervention. We now propose to expand this bacterial interference to a polymicrobial inoculum to increase adherence of the donor microbiome and as such expand the prophylactic effect. This pilot trial will investigate the safety and tolerability of urine transfusion from healthy donors to the bladders of patients with recurrent UTIs. The primary objective of this pilot study is to investigate the safety and tolerability of controlled human urine transfusion in female patients with recurrent UTI's. Secondary and exploratory objectives are to evaluate the diversity of the urine microbiome after urine transfusion, to assess the longevity of changes in the urine microbiome in patients after urine transfusion over a period of 6 months and to assess the frequency of UTI's after the transfusion.