Ureaplasma urealyticum-induced crystallization of magnesium ammonium phosphate and calcium phosphates in synthetic urine.

Crystallization of struvite and calcium phosphates was studied in vitro as encrustations on glass rods immersed in synthetic urine, to evaluate the crystallization capacity of Ureaplasma urealyticum and compare it with that of known urease and non-urease-producing bacteria. Inoculation of the synthetic urine with Ureaplasma urealyticum resulted in alkalinization of the synthetic urine and crystallization of struvite and brushite. Inoculation with Proteus mirabilis caused a faster and more pronounced alkalinization as well as crystallization of struvite and apatite. The alkalinization and crystallization caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum and Proteus mirabilis was completely prevented by acetohydroxamic acid, a potent urease inhibitor, linking the crystallization to the urease activity of the microorganisms. When the synthetic urine was inoculated with urease-negative Escherichia coli no alkalinization and no crystallization were seen.