prostatitis researcher dr anthony schaeffer commented in a 2003 editorial of the journal of urology that: "it is well recognized that even if pathogenic bacteria are present in the prostate, as in men with established chronic bacterial prostatitis, they do not cause chronic pelvic pain unless acute urinary tract infection develops. taken together, these data suggest that bacteria do not have a significant role in the development of the chronic pelvic pain syndrome. the clinical observation that antimicrobial therapy reduces symptomatology in men with chronic pelvic pain syndrome is being tested in a double-blinded nih controlled study. since antimicrobials may have anti-inflammatory activity, it is possible that these drugs may benefit the patient by reducing inflammation rather than eradicating bacteria."