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Study: Urinary tract infection vaccine forthcoming

Category: General Wellness

Medical testing by researchers at the University of Michigan shows that a preventative vaccine for urinary tract infections (UTIs) may be forthcoming.

A study which appears in the September 18 edition of the journal PLoS Pathogens described that the researchers tested more than 5,000 bacterial proteins before identifying three that may be useful to fight the infection, HealthDay News reports. The vaccine would target Escherichia coli, which causes most urinary tract infections.

The preventative measure, when used on mice, prevented the infection and helped to develop types of immunity. The vaccine would be administered to humans through the nose, and would function by alerting the immune system to iron receptors on the surfaces of the bacteria which cause the spread of urinary tract infections.

Urinary tract infections are experienced by about 53 percent of women and 14 percent of men in their lifetimes. HealthDay News further reports that each year in the United States UTIs result in 6.8 million doctor's office visits, 1.3 million emergency visits and 245,000 hospitalizations.

Experts from the Mayo Clinic recommend drinking plenty of water, avoiding coffee, alcohol and soft drinks, and using a heating pad until the UTI clears.