Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are becoming increasingly common, affecting a significant portion of the global population. Between 50% and 60% of women will experience a UTI at some point in their lives, and recent studies indicate a worrying trend: UTI cases surged by over 68% between 1990 and 2019.
Adding to the concern, the bacteria responsible for UTIs are developing resistance to antibiotics, making these infections more challenging and dangerous to treat.
UTIs typically occur when bacteria enter the urethra, leading to an infection in the urinary tract. This can happen due to various factors, such as genetic predisposition, sexual activity, or poor hygiene.
Common symptoms of a UTI include an urgent need to urinate, a burning sensation during urination, pressure or pain in the lower abdomen, cloudy or blood-tinged urine, and a strong odor in the urine.
Women are 30 times more likely to develop UTIs than men, primarily due to anatomical differences such as a shorter urethra and the proximity of the urethra to the anus.
So, what’s driving the current increase in UTI cases? Several factors are contributing, including a growing and aging population that is more vulnerable to infections, as well as an active younger population.
One particularly concerning factor is the rise of antibiotic-resistant UTIs. As bacteria become more resistant to treatment, the options for effectively managing these infections dwindle.
Cindy Liu, Chief Medical Officer at the Antibiotic Resistance Action Center at George Washington University, highlighted the urgency of the situation. “Without changing how we use our antibiotics, we are on track to have fewer options for treating bladder, kidney, and urosepsis infections,” Liu told National Geographic.
Part of the problem stems from antibiotic use in meat production. Animals treated with antibiotics contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance, which can affect people who consume the meat.
Dr. Michelle Van Kuiken, a urologist and urogynecologist at the University of California, San Francisco, explains, “Eating meat that has been heavily treated with antibiotics may contribute to increasing rates of antibiotic resistance as the human microbiome is influenced by meat consumption. This doesn’t mean that eating meat directly causes a UTI, but it may increase the likelihood of being colonized with a multi-drug resistant organism.”
Furthermore, meat can also introduce harmful bacteria, such as E. coli, into the body, potentially leading to UTIs. Research indicates that between 30% and 70% of meat products are contaminated with E. coli. While proper cooking usually kills the bacteria, improper food preparation can allow E. coli to contaminate other foods.
Researchers from George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health explain how E. coli infections occur: the bacteria, which naturally resides in the gut, can travel through the bowels and enter the urinary tract, causing infection.
A study conducted in 2023 estimated that contaminated meat, particularly raw chicken and turkey, causes approximately half a million UTIs in the United States each year.
To combat the rise of antibiotic-resistant E. coli, researchers recommend that meat producers vaccinate animals against the most dangerous bacterial strains and limit the use of antibiotics in livestock to prevent these bacteria from entering the food chain.
