News and Analysis

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) have long been associated with sexual activity and poor hygiene, but a new study found that nearly 1 in 5 infections were linked to contaminated meat.

The results of the four-year study, published in the American Society of Microbiology Journal Thursday, showed that 18 percent of UTIs in the patient population were linked to E. coli strains of animal origin. Among the so-called foodborne UTIs, the highest risk of exposure was from chicken and turkey. 

While the over 5,700 samples were collected from patients with UTIs and grocery stores in Southern California, the authors say the risk isn’t confined to the Golden State.

“Urinary tract infections have long been considered a personal health issue, but our findings suggest that they are also a food safety problem,” said Lance B. Price, senior author of the peer-reviewed study and professor of environmental and occupational health at the George Washington University, in a news release.

“This opens up new avenues for prevention, especially for vulnerable communities that bear a disproportionate burden,” Price continued. “This is why we should be investing more, not less, in research about the social determinants of health. Your risk of infection should not depend on your ZIP code.”

People living in low-income areas had a 60 percent higher risk of foodborne UTIs compared to those in wealthier neighborhoods, the study found, with older men and women being especially vulnerable.

E. Coli can cause severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting, and people can be exposed to the strain from undercooked or contaminated food like raw vegetables or meat, according to the Mayo Clinic. The elderly and children are a particularly vulnerable population should they be exposed to this strain, which could result in kidney failure.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that UTIs are “common infections that happen when bacteria, often from the skin or rectum, enter the urethra and infect the urinary tract.”

How to protect yourself from E. Coli

Marion Mass, a practicing pediatrician, told The Hill’s sister network NewsNation that the study showed that “the strains most likely to cause infection were more likely to be found in chicken and turkey. So, one important measure is to make sure that you’re cooking your meat appropriately to the right temperature.”

Mass said to limit the possibility of being exposed to E. coli, practice good bathroom hygiene and handwash after handling raw or undercooked meat. 

“The E. coli starts in your gut and ends up in your stool, so wiping the correct way is pretty important. That would be a bigger issue in children as training a 2-, 3- or 4-year-old to wipe in the correct direction from front to back is harder than teaching an adult,” the doctor continued. “While women are more vulnerable to UTIs, female girls are especially at risk.”

For children, she stressed being mindful of what they handle if they are learning to cook or helping in the kitchen. 

“I am a big proponent of teaching your kids to cook, but having kids handle raw meat of any kind is a bad idea,” Mass said.