Studies of introital colonization in women with recurrent urinary infections. IX. The role of antimicrobial therapy.

To determine if antibiotics used in the treatment of urinary infections alter introital gramnegative carriage after termination of therapy we analyzed 254 cultures obtained between episodes of bacteriuria in 14 women with recurrent urinary infections. Cultures obtained within the first 30 days after termination of therapy were compared to all subsequent cultures. Introital carriage in women with recurrent urinary infections was compared to 416 consecutive introital cultures from 31 control women resistant to bacteriuria. In women with recurrent bacteriuria introital colonization patterns were similar in incidence and density during the immediate post-treatment period compared to later cultures. Four volunteer controls received tetracycline for 10 days. There was no difference in introital carriage of enterobacteria before during or after tetracycline therapy. Consecutive cultures also confirmed a higher incidence and greater density of vaginal carriage of enterobacteria in patients when compared to similar cultures from women who never had a urinary infection.