Sharp Increase in Antibiotic-Resistant Urinary Tract Infections

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I’ve been waiting for this to happen. There’s a serious global problem developing and it’s all down to the over-use of antibiotics in animals and humans alike...

Researchers from the University of Hong Kong found evidence suggesting resistance genes are being passed from animals to humans and the result is not a pretty picture...

Urinary Tract Infections: Global problem

The researchers examined Escherichia coli bacteria, which are responsible for the vast bulk of human urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Looking at samples from humans and animals, they found an identical gene, called aacC2, was present, which has resistance to a commonly-used antibiotic - gentamicin. The gene was present in approximately 80 per cent of the 249 human and animal samples the team studied.

The Hong Kong team is of the opinion that the resistance genes are spreading to humans via the food chain, through direct contact with animals or by exposure to contaminated water sources.

Lead researcher Dr Pak-Leung Ho said: "When the resistance genes end up in bacteria that cause infections in humans, the diseases will be more difficult to treat."

This means that Health authorities, worldwide, must closely monitor the transmission of resistance between food- producing animals and humans. They must also assess how these transfers affect the effectiveness of antibiotics taken by humans. This is an almost impossible task, because even if the problem is curbed in one country, people travelling abroad and moving from community to community will bring resistance with them and it will spread. In addition, the international trading of meats and food animals, means antibiotic resistance in one geographical area can soon become global.

Professor Chris Thomas, an expert in bacteria at the University of Birmingham, has said that doctors in the UK are already seeing resistant strains emerging.

Urinary Tract Infections: How to beat UTIs and prevent future attacks without drugs

UTIs like cystitis are extremely common, particularly among women. It’s estimated that up to one in every five women will develop an infection of the urinary tract during their lifetime.

Women are more prone to this condition because the female urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body) is shorter than men’s. This allows bacteria like Escherichia coli (E. coli), which normally lives in the colon to reach the urethra where it can quickly multiply. The long male urethra offers better protection against urinary infections because it’s difficult for harmful bugs to reach it.

UTIs can be caused by a variety of micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses, worms, and fungi like the candida fungus that causes thrush. 85 per cent of the time these micro-organisms come from the bowel and can easily find their way from your anus to the outside opening of your urethra… from here they can eventually reach your bladder and result in an infection developing.

In addition, if you’re under stress, taking oral contraceptive drugs or eating too many sugary foods or carbohydrates, your risk of suffering a UTI is greatly increased.

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Urinary Tract Infections:  How to break free from the antibiotic trap once and for all

Fortunately, there are a number of natural ways to combat UTIs. This means that you don’t get caught up in a vicious cycle of taking repeat courses of antibiotics and eventually developing resistance to them.

1. Avoid a high carbohydrate diet: Excess sugar and refined carbs, such as white bread and pasta, in your diet can soon cause sugar to accumulate in your urine. This makes it far easier for infections to develop by providing nourishment to the bugs that cause UTIs.

An example is candida (thrush), which thrives in high sugar environments. To lower your risk of UTIs, eat more green vegetables and high protein foods such as oily fish (mackerel, sardines and haddock) — all of which boost your immune system and help it fight the infection more effectively.

2. Studies show that cranberries help keep UTIs at bay:Cranberries work by preventing the bacteria from attaching themselves to the inside lining of your bladder and urethra.

Cranberries are also thought to help improve the overall health of your bladder and urethra, as they contain antioxidant plant chemicals which prevent chronic damage to the urinary tract from occurring.

The recommended dosage is 600mg of concentrated cranberry tablets a day.

3. Make sure sex isn’t causing the problem: Sexual intercourse can irritate the opening of the vagina, which increases the chances of bacteria entering it. The old-fashioned advice to go and pass urine just after sexual intercourse is a good way of ensuring that the majority of harmful bacteria are flushed away. By doing this, the likelihood of an infection developing is considerably reduced.

4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol which irritate your bladder:Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day will help rid your urinary tract of harmful bugs. Wear loose underwear and choose cotton material, which is far less irritating. Having a bath makes it much easier for bacteria to reach your urethra from your anus, so opt for showers instead.

5. An easy way to gain relief: Mix one teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda (available from supermarkets) to 300ml water and drink this every hour during the first few hours of an attack. This reduces the acidity of the urine and kills the bacteria in it.

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Urinary tract infections 'resistant to antibiotics', published online 17.05.10, news.bbc.co.uk

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