OBSERVATIONS ON THE PATHOGENESIS, COURSE AND TREATMENT OF NONOBSTRUCTIVE PYELONEPHRITIS

Abstract

The pathogenesis, course, and response to treatment of nonobstructive pyelonephritis as produced experimentally in rabbits were studied to clarify problems in the human infection. It was concluded that organisms exhibit differing abilities to produce pyelonephritis in the absence of sepsis and that their localization in the kidney from the blood stream is due to bacterial emboli following vascular stasis. The natural course of acute pyelonephritis is toward healing, but persistent or recurring infection may be followed by hypertension and uremia. Bactericidal treatment (streptomycin) appears more effective than bacteriostatic therapy (oxytetracycline).