Uromune (IMMUNOTEK) is an autoimmune agent that is delivered as a sublingual spray, which has become recently licenced in Australia. It contains a mixture of components of ‘inactivated’ bacteria including E.Coli, K.pneumoniae, E.faecalis and Proteus vulgaris. The innate and adaptive immune systems are stimulated, generating CD4+ T cells against the recognised bacteria within the Uromune, generating immune memory. A recent study by Lorenzo-Gomez et al. demonstrated a 90.28% absolute risk reduction when using Uromune in women with recurrent UTIs.

We performed a retrospective cohort study on spinal cord injury patients who had Uromune therapy. Patients underwent a 3 month course of twice daily Uromune sublingual sprays. Patients were then be followed up with patient surveys and Urine MSUs at 1, 3, 6 and 12 month. A clinically significant result was deemed as a rate of urinary tract infections reducing by 50%.

Our study included a current cohort of 11 patients, of which 2 were female, each with a history of recurrent UTI who received a complete course of the Uromune vaccine and at least 12 months follow up. The mean age was 48.5 years (range 31-64). Within the 12 months follow up post Uromune treatment, 3 (27%) of patients had 0 UTIs, 3 (27%) had 1 infection, 1 (9%) had 2 infections, 1 (9%) had 7 infections, 1 (9%) had 9 and 1 (9%) had 12. The patient who had 9 UTIs had pseudomonas which doesn’t respond to Uromune therapy.

There is a trough between 1 months and 6 months where UTI frequency appears to taper off, and by 12 months the frequency appears to increase again. However over the 12 month period, 8 (72%) patients had less than 3 UTIs in 12 months, of which 7 (63%) patients achieved the criteria of a 50% reduction in UTI’s over the course of the 12 month follow up.