Pili: Why bacteria arent washed out (in UTIs)

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‘If these pili aren’t assembled, then these bugs aren’t infective at all. They’d wash right out.’
‘They are also important in making bacterial biofilms.

Could this be the END of cystitis? Discovery that bacteria 'lash on to urinary tract with tiny tentacles' - raises hopes of new drugs

• Half of women will develop urinary tract infections in their lifetime
• 90% of UTIs are caused by a form of E.coli bacteria, scientists said
• That bacteria uses tiny tentacle-like appendages to lash to urinary tract
• Coiled tightly like a spring, they flex and bend like a telephone cord
• Allows the bacteria to withstand torrent of urine 'like a hurricane'

By LISA RYAN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 20:02 GMT, 13 January 2016 | UPDATED: 23:25 GMT, 13 January 2016

Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria uses tiny tentacle-like appendages to lash themselves to the urinary lining, scientists have discovered.

These appendages - called pili - are found on E.Coli, the bacteria that causes 90 per cent of urinary tract infections, including cystitis.

They are coiled tightly – just like a spring – and flex and bend like a telephone cord.

Because of these pili, bacteria is able to withstand a torrent of urine, ‘their equivalent of a tremendous hurricane'.

As a result, infection is able to flourish, a new study found.

This finding may lead to the development of new therapies to stop the bacteria and thus prevent cystitis and other painful UTIs, scientists hope.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...les-raises-hopes-new-drugs.html#ixzz3xCUomO16
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Pili (plural)
Pilus (singular)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilus

Pili of E. coli.

 

[Jeckylberry]

This is common knowledge in the microbiology field. You also have to take biofilms into account which are much more complex. There is plenty of experimental research going on with tying to destroy the proteins involved in adhesion structures. The best thing to do with E. coli cystitis is to treat it with cranberry. I don't mean a sip of juice. You can get a concentrated powder that you mix into water and drink. As with many grumbling bacterial infections the surface layers and loose bacteria are killed off but the source ones in their biofilm remain. Drinking water helps to flush the bladder, reduce the size of the biofilm and remove shedding bacteria. The cranberry is carried to the bladder along with it and attaches to the same parts of the cell the bacteria targets, preventing the fimbriae (not pili) from adhering or 'docking'. When I was at uni a student colleague did a research project on it. I was having awful problems with recurring uti and I tried it out. Spent a day on toilet, blanket around me in front of a heater with a good book and other various entertainment and a jug of cranberry powder in water that I drank despite the bitter taste. Haven't had a problem since. I think it should be available to be used for everyone susceptible to UTI. Definitely worth trying along with antibiotics.

Hisano M, Bruschini H, Nicodemo AC, Srougi M. Cranberries and Lower Urinary Tract Infection Prevention. Clinics 2012;67(6): 661-667.
http://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2012(06)18

This link is well worth reading.

https://books.google.com.au/books?id=eMk_AXGm8PwC&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&dq=cranberry prevents fimbriae&source=bl&ots=W-i35cfvox&sig=L7Afl62tEz9VMNlqr4Mrb1OGNLs&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiokt2np6rKAhWDe6YKHWQQAmQQ6AEIKzAE#v=onepage&q=cranberry prevents fimbriae&f=false