coli is reintroduced into the urinary tract. Conventional thinking holds that recurrence occurs when E. In young, sexually active women, about 80 percent of UTIs are caused by E. UTIs are treated with antibiotics, but each time a UTI comes back makes it even more likely the infection will recur yet again. The infections can occur anywhere along the urinary tract but commonly develop in the bladder. UTIs most often occur when bacteria that live inside the bowel make their way into the urinary tract.

The research, in mice, is published March 30 in PLOS Pathogens. Louis has uncovered a trigger of recurrent UTI infections: a type of vaginal bacteria that moves into the urinary tract. vaginalis is dying and detaching from its neighboring cells (teal), revealing immature cells below (purple).Ībout half of all women will experience urinary tract infections in their lifetimes, and despite treatment, about a quarter will develop recurrent infections within six months of initial infection.Ī new study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. In the image, a bladder cell (blue) that has been exposed to G. GilbertĪ kind of bacteria found in the vagina may trigger recurrent UTIs, according to a new study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. News Release Vaginal bacteria can trigger recurrent UTIs, study showsįindings help explain UTI link to sexual activityīy Tamara Bhandari

Another word for previous studies