Polymerase chain reaction‐based identification of Propionibacterium acnes types isolated from the male urinary tract: evaluation of adolescents, normal adults and men with prostatic pathology

OBJECTIVE To assess whether colonization of the male urinary tract with Propionibacterium acnes, in particular types IB and II (which are associated with inflammation in radical prostatectomy specimens and might be involved in the development of prostate cancer), is associated with prostate disease, and thus to develop a urine test to detect men at risk of prostate disease. PATENTS, SUBJECTS AND METHODS We developed the first polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based technique for identifying P. acnes types IA, IB and II, and used this in combination with selective culture medium to compare the prevalence of these subtypes in the urinary tract of adolescent males, healthy adult men and patients with confirmed prostate pathology. RESULTS P. acnes types IB and II were no more prevalent in the urinary tract of patients with prostate pathology than in normal control men. However, the prevalence of types IB and II appeared to be higher in adult men (at 11 of 15 and six of 15, respectively) than in adolescents (two of six and one of six), suggesting an age‐related increase. Comparison of urinary tract and facial skin P. acnes from three subjects showed that type IA was more often predominant on facial skin, whereas types IB or II were more often predominant in the urinary tract. CONCLUSIONS A urine test might not be useful for detecting men with prostatic P. acnes infection and thus at greater risk of associated prostate disease. However, this work validated our technique for detecting and identifying the three P. acnes subtypes, and identified some interesting trends worth further investigation.