Fatal bloodstream illnesses driven by urinary tract infections could rise, warn scientists as research shows link to food-borne bacteria
Date: Mar 23, 2023
Source: The Guardian
Author: Sophie Kevany
Excerpt: The Flagstaff study showed that 8% of the UTIs were caused by E coli from local meat samples. That, said Price, translates into a national figure in the US of 480,000 to 640,000 UTIs caused by E coli originating from those meats.
Asked about links between industrial farming and UTI-causing E coli found in meat, Price said the high densities of animals in indoor sheds had probably helped spread the risk of infection. “When you are packing animals together very tightly, pigs or poultry, and buying them from same breeder, yes, the dangerous strain of E coli is going to spread very quickly.”
The strains spread between the animals would also have the opportunity “to develop new characteristics that could cause worse disease and be more resistant to antibiotics”, he added.