Scientists from George Washington University have found that E. coli from animal meat can cause urinary tract infections. Research published in the journal one health.
As is known, bacteria coli While most types of bacteria are actually harmless, they can cause food poisoning. In a new study, scientists have shown that the same microbes in meat may be responsible for nearly half a million cases of urinary tract infections in the United States alone.
For one year, the researchers took biweekly samples of all available brands of raw chicken, turkey, and pork from nine major grocery chains in Flagstaff, Arizona. They also collected all E. coli specimens isolated from patients at the city’s main medical center during the same period.
By analyzing E. coli genomes from meat and patients, the researchers focused on strain-specific regions of bacterial DNA. Next, they developed a mathematical model that predicts the probability of E. coli entering the human body or being ingested.
The researchers calculated that about 8% of urinary tract infections caused by E. coli may be meat-related. This means that about half a million of these infections among Americans are caused by meat each year.
An earlier 2005 study found that outbreaks of urinary tract infections in several states were likely caused by contaminated animal food.
The scientists noted that more research is needed. But overall, the new study shows the importance of adequate heat treatment of meat and compliance with intimate hygiene rules. Women should wash from front to back to prevent E. coli from entering the urinary tract.