Cell-Mediated Immunity and Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) has been assessed by measurement of cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity in 150 women with symptomatic recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) in the absence of any predisposing factor and in 25 controls cross matched for sex and age. An abnormal cutaneous response to recall antigens was recorded in 72% of patients. It is suggested the recurrencies might be due to a defect of host immune response, which suggests a different therapeutical approach to the disease.