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Urinary tract infections: Beware of eating undercooked meat

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What is the role of meat in urinary tract infections? Research by George Washington University in the United States has confirmed that eating or touching raw or undercooked meat causes hundreds of thousands of urinary tract infections each year. In healthy people, the urine in the bladder is sterile and does not contain bacteria or other microorganisms. The tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside (urethra) does not contain bacteria or contains too little bacteria to cause an infection. Any part of the urinary tract can, however, develop an infection, usually caused by bacteria. In the vast majority of cases these bacteria belong to the family ofEscherichia coli.

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Role of meat in urinary tract infections: comparing strains of Escherichia coli found in meat and people

This bacteria can live in the intestines before ending up in the urinary tract, causing major symptoms such as pain in the side or back and chills. Researchers at George Washington University collected blood and urine samples of E. coli infections from hospitals in an Arizona city. Experts discovered that they were of the same strain found in the meat sold in supermarkets in the area. The meats most at risk are those of pigs and white ones.

Role of meat in urinary tract infections: it is essential to wash your hands very well

Attention, why it is not enough to cook the meat very well. Washing your hands thoroughly after handling it when we are preparing it is also a fundamental step to lower the risk of UTI. The results of the research were published in the scientific journal One Health. Scientists said vaccinating animals against the most dangerous strains of E. coli could be one way to stop the bacteria from entering the food chain.

Pay special attention to the kidneys

The bacteria are normally found in the intestines of people and animals and are usually harmless. However, if they manage to reach the urinary tract, they can lead to debilitating and often dangerous infections. Some infections can reach the kidneys, complicating the situation because they can reach the blood. In these cases, symptoms include fever, chills, back pain, nausea, or vomiting.

Every year more than one million Italians, mostly women, have at least one urinary tract infection. Among the most at risk are the elderly, because the bladder works worse and may not empty completely. The consequence is that the bacteria have time to colonize the urinary tract.

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