The UCLA-led finding could lead to new ways to prevent and treat kidney stones and the infections that they often cause
BYLINE: Enrique Rivero
Newswise — In an unexpected finding, a UCLA-led team has discovered that bacteria are present inside the most common type of kidney stone, revealing a previously unrecognized component involved in their formation.
The findings, to be published in the peer-reviewed journal PNAS, point to a possible therapeutic target that could be used for prevention and treatment for the millions of people who are affected by the frequently painful condition.
“This breakthrough challenges the long‑held assumption that these stones develop solely through chemical and physical processes, and instead shows that bacteria can reside inside stones and may actively contribute to their formation,” said Dr. Kymora Scotland, an assistant professor of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the study’s co-senior author. “By uncovering this novel mechanism, the study opens the door to new therapeutic strategies that target the microbial environment of kidney stones.”
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