Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
A new study finds that contaminated meat may be linked to urinary tract infections (UTI), especially in low-income areas.
UTI is a bacterial infection in the urinary tract. extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, or e coli According to experts, UTIs, which infect a person outside their gastrointestinal tract, are the leading cause of UTIs worldwide.
In a study published in MBO In the journal Thursday, researchers sought to find out how much E. coli spread from contaminated meat is linked to UTIs.
From 2017 to 2021, researchers collected thousands of individual strains of E. coli from retail meat and UTI patients in eight southern regions. California counties, and determined that about one in five, or 18 percent, UTIs were linked to E. coli strains of animal origin.
The strains of E. coli most commonly found in chicken and turkey.
The researchers also found that socioeconomic status was a risk factor in the population they studied, with 21.5 percent of UTIs in high-poverty areas being linked to E. coli strains.
“Urinary tract infections have long been considered a personal health issue, but our findings show that they are also a food safety problem,” said Lance B. Price, senior author of the study and a professor at George Washington University. News release From the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
“This opens up new avenues for prevention, especially for vulnerable communities who bear a disproportionate burden. That’s why we should invest more in research about the social determinants of health, not less. Your risk of infection should not depend on your ZIP code.”
The study also found that women were “significantly” more likely than men to have E. coli strains of animal origin, and among men, older men were more vulnerable.
The AAAS offered some tips for preventing UTIs from contaminated meat, such as buying meat and poultry that is securely sealed so it doesn’t leak onto your other groceries. People should also cook their meat and poultry thoroughly and wash their hands and surfaces after touching raw meat.