Antibody-coated bacteria in urinary tract infections

In 1974 we reported that a non-invasive fluorescent antibody (FA) test is useful in establishing the anatomic site of infection in the urinary tract [1]. The technique utilizes a simple and direct immunofluorescence procedure to detect antibody-coated bacteria (ACB) in urine sediments of patients with urinary tract infections. ACB are usually found in urine samples from patients with kidney infections but not from patients with uncomplicated bladder infections. This review focuses on the efforts of our own laboratory and the work of other investigators in (1) evaluating the clinical application of the test for ACB as a diagnostic aid, (2) determining the usefulness of the test in defining populations for epidemiologic and therapeutic studies, (3) ascertaining the prognostic usefulness of the test in following the clinical course of the individual patient with persistent or recurrent infections, and (4) defining the biological significance of ACB in urine