Immunology of urinary tract infections.

Abstract

The urinary tract is constantly exposed to different microorganisms that colonize the gastrointestinal tract and the urinary tract is normally well prepared to resist infections by these microorganisms. This resistance to infection is mainly accomplished by the versatility of the immune system in the urinary tract, with both innate and adaptive immune responses. With the increasing knowledge of how the immune system works in the urinary tract and also the recognition of the virulence attributes of uropathogens, several potentially effective and tailored strategies to contain or prevent urinary tract infections have emerged.