I’d say we see 1-2 cases of Proteus mirabilis per month in clients running comprehensive stool tests.
Whilst Proteus isn’t the most frequently detected bad bug, it can certainly pack a powerful punch and cause or contribute to a lot of symptoms.
As with many of the parasites and bacteria we consider in Hompes Method, Proteus isn’t often considered as a cause of chronic, ongoing symptoms in the standard medical setting.
Proteus is can be found in many “habitats”, including long-term care facilities and hospitals and it is not unusual to find colonies both on the skin and in oral cavities of both patients and hospital personnel.
It’s interesting that the top medical websites seem to consider Proteus only as a urinary tract infection. But it’s clearly implicated in digestive symptoms.
According to Dr. Alex Vasquez:
“Proteus is a gram-negative bacteria that produces endotoxin. Gastrointestinal and urinary tract colonization with Proteus is associated with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.”
If you’ve read my article on endotoxin, you’ll be aware of the problems these bacterial toxins can cause. They can irritate the delicate lining of the digestive system and leak into the blood where they trigger symptoms elsewhere in the body.
This is likely why Proteus is implicated in arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Endotoxin can lead to general malaise, fatigue and other common symptoms.
The US Food and Drug Administration’s Bad Bug Book carries very little information on Proteus, but it does at least acknowledge the bug as both a urinary tract and digestive tract problem:
“Proteus are more commonly sources of urinary tract and wound infections and of meningitis in neonates and infants than of gastroenteritis. They are a source of nosocomial infections. With regard to foods, Proteus can metabolize amino acids found in meats to produce compounds that can cause putrefaction.”
When proteins in meat putrefy in the gut, we see elevated levels of what we call putrefactive short chain fatty acids. On a stool test, this is a tell tale sign that someone is either carrying a bad bug or not digesting protein properly due to low stomach acid and digestive enzyme levels.
As mentioned above, Proteus can cause urinary tract infections, with the following symptoms:
- Burning on urination
- Increased urinary frequency
- Vaginitis in women
- Kidney problems
- Prostatitis in men (inflamed prostate)
As with other infections such as a cold or flu, urinary tract colonies can cause body-wide symptoms that make people feel generally unwell.
Proteus mirabilis is also heavily implicated in sino-respiratory symptoms such as a stuffy nose and post-nasal drip.
So we have yet another bad bug that’s not really considered by the medical system, yet we see at least one case per month.
Getting Yourself Tested
If you’ve found this article because you’re experiencing certain symptoms and you’re looking for reasons for those symptoms, I recommend you either arrange a consultation with a Hompes Method practitioner or order a comprehensive digestive health check-up package.