Urobiome status in children with vesicoureteral reflux. A review

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is the main precipitating factor of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children and one of the most debatable and common diseases in pediatric urology and nephrology. The article analyzes foreign publications on the urinary microbiome in children with VUR. Despite disagreements over non-surgical treatment of VUR, continuous antibiotic prophylaxis, which is prescribed for a long time at a prophylactic dosage, is currently considered the standard of care for young children with VUR of varying grades. The urinary microbiome research is at its early stage. Like the gut microbiome, the UT microbiome (urobiome) is formed from the first days of life. One of the most significant factors that can disrupt the development of a healthy microbiome is the use of antibiotics prescribed to children during the first years of life in various dosages for a long time. The study of their effect on the microbial architecture of the gut and the overall microbiome is becoming a key priority of modern research. The primary source of the microbiome is the environment and the intestine. Studies of the change in the composition of the microbiome in young children with VUR who received non-surgical treatment with continuous antibiotic prophylaxis have demonstrated that this group of children is prone to a high concentration of enterobacteria, such as Klebsiella spp. and Escherichia coli, which increases the risk of exacerbation of UT inflammatory diseases.