A urinary tract infection (UTI) can knock you off your feet.
UTIs occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract and multiply. They affect one or more areas within the urinary tract. This can include the:
- urethra
- bladder
- ureters
- kidneys
They can cause:
- painful and frequent urination
- lower abdominal pain
- bloody urine
These infections are responsible for roughly 8 million doctor visits each year.
UTIs are the second most common type of infection to occur in the human body. They occur more often in women, but can affect men, too.
Women have a shorter urethra, so it’s easier for bacteria to enter their bladder. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates 40 to 60 percent of women will have at least one UTI in their lifetime.
Urinary tract infections in men are often related to an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hypertrophy) blocking the flow of urine. This allows bacteria to have an easier time occupying the urinary tract.
In almost 90 percent of cases, the bacterium Escherichia coli is the cause of the UTI. E. coli is normally found inside the intestines. When confined to the intestines, it’s harmless. But sometimes this bacterium gets into the urinary tract and causes an infection.
Sex may trigger a UTI in women. This is because intercourse can move bacteria from the anal area to near the opening of the urethra. Women can lower their risk of infection by cleaning the genital area before any sexual activity and by urinating afterward.
Using spermicides, diaphragms, and condoms also raises the risk of a UTI. The risk is higher in people with a weakened immune system as well.
UTI stats
- UTIs are the second most common type of infection.
- E. coli is the cause of most UTIs, but viruses and other germs can also cause them.
- There are 8 million UTI-related doctor visits per year in the United States.
Most UTIs aren’t serious. But if left untreated, the infection can spread up to the kidneys and bloodstream and become life-threatening. Kidney infections can lead to kidney damage and kidney scarring.
Symptoms of a UTI usually improve within two to three days after starting antibiotic therapy. Many doctors prescribe an antibiotic for at least three days.
While this type of medication is the standard treatment, researchers are noticing that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are reducing the effectiveness of some antibiotics in treating UTIs.
Some UTIs don’t clear up after antibiotic therapy. When an antibiotic medication doesn’t stop the bacteria causing an infection, the bacteria continue to multiply.
The overuse or misuse of antibiotics is often the reason for antibiotic resistance. This can happen when the same antibiotic is prescribed over and over again for recurrent UTIs. Because of this risk, experts have been looking for ways to treat UTIs without antibiotics.
Antibiotic resistance 101
- When certain antibiotics are prescribed repeatedly, the bacteria they target can grow resistant to them.
- At least
2 million people per year in the United States contract antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Are antibiotics going out of style?
So far, preliminary studies have been promising.
Typically, the urinary tract flushes away bacteria when you urinate. But according to researchers, FimH can cause E. coli to firmly attach to the cells in the urinary tract. And because of this tight grip, it’s hard for the body to naturally flush the bacteria from the urinary tract.
If researchers can uncover a way to target this protein with other types of therapies, treating or preventing UTIs with antibiotics might become a thing of the past.
D-mannose is a sugar that sticks to E. coli. Recently, researchers have studied the possibility of using D-mannose and other mannose-containing substances to block the binding of FimH to the lining of the urinary tract. One small, limited study from 2014 showed positive results when attempting to prevent recurrent UTIs.