Bacteriology of urine specimens obtained from men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia

Background: Bacteriuria and urinary tract infections are common sequelae of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Thus, the knowledge of urine bacteriology in men with symptomatic BPH in our environment may play a complementary role in  management. Objectives: To determine the incidence of bacteriuria and the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of bacterial isolates in cultured urine samples of men with symptomatic BPH. Patients and Methods: This was a 1 year prospective study. All patients who presented with lower urinary tract symptoms due to BPH and who met the inclusion criteria were studied. Urine samples were obtained from the patients for microscopy, culture, and sensitivity following standard protocol.Results: Ninety‑four patients were studied. The age range was 53–80 years with a mean of 65.5 ± 7.8 years. Bacterial isolates were noted in 42 (44.7%) patients. Six of these had two different species of bacterial organisms isolated. Escherichia coli noted in 20 (47.6%) specimens was the most common organism isolated while the least common, Providencia species, was noted in 1 (2.4%). The bacterial isolates were mostly sensitive to imipenem, meropenem, and nitrofurantoin, but showed greater resistance to cefuroxime, gentamicin, and ofloxacin. There was no significant difference between the means for age (P = 0.80), duration of symptoms (P = 0.09), and prostate size (P = 0.52) in the patients with and those without bacteriuria. Conclusion: Bacteriuria is a common finding in patients with symptomatic BPH in our setting. The bacterial isolates showed high level of resistance to oral  cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. There is a need to update guidelines in empiric use of antibiotics in this group of patients.Keywords: Bacteriuria, benign prostatic hyperplasia, urinary tract infectio

Mapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19

The genetic make-up of an individual contributes to the susceptibility and response to viral infection. Although environmental, clinical and social factors have a role in the chance of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and the severity of COVID-191,2, host genetics may also be important. Identifying host-specific genetic factors may reveal biological mechanisms of therapeutic relevance and clarify causal relationships of modifiable environmental risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection and outcomes. We formed a global network of researchers to investigate the role of human genetics in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity. Here we describe the results of three genome-wide association meta-analyses that consist of up to 49,562 patients with COVID-19 from 46 studies across 19 countries. We report 13 genome-wide significant loci that are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection or severe manifestations of COVID-19. Several of these loci correspond to previously documented associations to lung or autoimmune and inflammatory diseases3,4,5,6,7. They also represent potentially actionable mechanisms in response to infection. Mendelian randomization analyses support a causal role for smoking and body-mass index for severe COVID-19 although not for type II diabetes. The identification of novel host genetic factors associated with COVID-19 was made possible by the community of human genetics researchers coming together to prioritize the sharing of data, results, resources and analytical frameworks. This working model of international collaboration underscores what is possible for future genetic discoveries in emerging pandemics, or indeed for any complex human disease