Cystitis Research Center

- About Dr. Paul Fugazzotto -

Dr. Paul Fugazzotto

Education and experience:

Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Med
Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH)
University of Michigan 1936
Covered all phases of personal and public health. Including a curriculum that called for 2 years of Michigan Med School, a major in Microbiology and a major in Chemistry to obtain a PhD in Microbiology from Michigan State University 1947.
Total of 4 years academics after PreMed AB Degree 1935.
Nine (9) years Thesis Research

Past employment:

Begun in 1938 as a microbiologist for the Michigan State Laboratory
(covering all specialties)
Director of the Nevada State Laboratory (retired 1981)
Entire career of almost 60 years without interruption, focused on detection of the cause of microbial disease. (Fungus, parasites, virus, bacteria - with detective efforts in ancillary areas)
Immediately upon retiring undertook research and diagnosis of pelvic infections.

Diagnostic Test Philosophy:

It is very likely you are not acquainted with me and my work on urinary tract infections. I have been a diagnostic and research microbiologist since 1938, and I think my half century of experience gives me an edge in this area of research. The medical community has long been educated to the idea that urinary tract infections (UTI) are by some mystic aura different from other infections, and has been convinced that the numbers of organisms found (any species at all) is diagnostic of infection. In other infections, the diagnosis depends on finding the specific respective organism, irrespective of numbers: i.e.: a darkfield exam of a suspected chancre need produce just one typical Treponome, and you have undeniable proof of Syphilis: just ONE among millions of contaminants! SPECIFIC PATHOGENS PROVE THE DIAGNOSIS. My approach to UTI and Interstitial Cystitis (IC) is the same as for any other infections: using well established classical procedures. I look for organisms historically identified as pathogens since the days of Koch, Bordet, Ehrlich, Pasteur. No Mickey Mouse quickie technology which in effect tells the bacteria they must grow out in 24 hours or the patient is not sick in spite of symptoms. There is nothing radical or magical about my technology. I merely look for recognized pathogens as in all other infections. To date, I have found Enterococci and other Micrococci as the predominant pathogens in 99+% of tests on more than 1600 chronic patients. These are patients who have reported a long history of repeated treatments with Septra, Tetracycline, Neggram, Tumethoprim, Gantricin, and the like aimed at Gram-negative bacilli (coliforms), with no sign of progressive amelioration. The colony count cannot assure detection of historically recognized pathogens, while I have found everyone of these as harboring pathogens responding well to specifically responsive antibiotics (other than the above). My classical test results are being accepted by physicians all across the U.S. with favorable response in most cases. The doctors must anticipate that chronic cases will not cure in a few days of antibiotics. They will require several months treatment with close monitoring, but they will respond to specifically responsive antibiotics.....no empirical guesswork with "broad spectrum" cure-alls!! The Enterococcus and other Micrococci stand out as UTI/IC/PELVIC TISSUE pathogens

About Dr. Fugazzotto and Antibiotic Treatment:

Written by two IC patients who have been treated under Dr. Fugazzotto's instructions.

Dr. Paul Fugazzotto is a microbiologist. He has been practicing diagnostic/research microbiology since 1938. He has spent his life working in clinical labs trying to isolate the sources of disease. He has over 60 years of experience. He has worked on many difficult pathology cases in the country. In the 1960Õs he began to develop an interest the bacteriological study of urine specimens. He has over 30 years of experience in analyzing urine samples for bacterial pathogens. Dr. Fugazzotto is retired. His Cystitis Research Center is located in Rapid City, South Dakota. It is certain that now in his 80Õs his work is continued because he sincerely cares about the people he is helping by seeking the diagnostic truth.

Dr. Fugazzotto believes that the urine and pelvic screening tests in widespread use everywhere cannot give an accurate result for a large number of patients. They are based on layman concept of "colony counts". In this concept, you must have a high amount of bacterial growth in a specific period of time to be classified as having a UTI. He sees many problems with this approach. First, current tests are usually run for a short time: anywhere from 15 minutes to 48 hours. He runs his tests for 5 days, giving bacteria more time to emerge. He has information in his publications that show a large percentage of infections will be missed with the quicker tests. Second, conventional tests use an agar plate culture. This is a simple medium not well suited to isolating many urinary tract pathogens. He uses broth culture technology. This is a classic approach for isolating infectious organisms; but it is more technically demanding and costly than the simple approaches in widespread use. Third, he does not rely on colony counts, by which you must have 100,000 plus bacterial colonies on the agar plate to be classified as having a UTI. Dr. Fugazzotto looks for known specific pathogenic bacteria. Their presence in any number at all indicates the presence of disease. Fourth, conventional urine tests go through little or no special sample preparation. Dr. Fugazzotto carefully prepares his samples using techniques he has developed over years in the laboratory. He cleans/washes the urine/bacteria, to remove drugs and other urinary tract waste products.

Also, he does other prep steps that he has learned through work with thousands of IC samples. Dr. Fugazzotto has found that a high percentage (96+%) of IC patients test positive for a Gram positive infection, usually caused by Enterococcus or other related postive bacteria such as: Pneumococci, Group B Strep, Micrococci, etc. This is in stark contrast to the high number of Gram negative bacteria usually required in the traditional urinary tract tests. The focus in conventional UTI treatment programs is Gram negative bacteria. According to Dr. Fugazzotto, these may be present but do not cause disease.

Once the pathogenic organism has been identified, he will recommend an antibiotic that will be effective against the organism. Typical antibiotics include: Augmentin, Amoxicillin, Biaxin, Cephradine, Doxycycline, Macrodantin, and Noroxin. Antibiotic dosage is very important and is initially set at a calculated level. Follow-up lab tests measure the actual antibiotic levels and effectiveness. Dosage is adjusted. These follow-up specimens may be needed anywhere from every 4 days to a week, to monthly or longer, depending on where you are in the treatment. Sometimes patients may have to switch antibiotics to find one that is more effective or has reduced side effects. Antibiotics must be taken with precision. Also, antibiotics on Dr. FugazzottoÕs program are taken for extended periods of time. One or two years in some cases. Patients may feel worse in the early part of an antibiotic treatment while undergoing antibiotic adjustment.

Other Treatment Recommendations:

Patients must implement a yeast control program simultaneously.
Patients must take acidophilus every day to replace digestive bacteria killed in the system, with good new bacteria.
Do not use any infusions or invasive bladder treatments. DMSO, Heparin, etc.
Special precautions with sexual contact are necessary such as using an antibacterial scrub on the genital and anal areas before and after sex, ie; Betadine wash and of course using condoms.
Women must carry and use wipes (preferably antimicrobial) after each bowel movement, wiping front to back. Bacteria are probably living in the intestines. Reinfection is possible.
Have your sexual partner tested, and treated if necessary.