(Taiwan English News/Zhu Mingzhu comprehensive foreign report) Urinary tract infections caused by E. coli are common, but according to the latest research in the United States, the main cause of infection is actually related to meat contaminated with E. coli. It is estimated that there are about 500,000 urinary tract infections every year. related cases.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a very common intestinal bacteria. Under normal circumstances, it is harmless to the human body and can reach a state of balance in the body. However, some specific strains of E. coli (O157H7, O104H4) can cause gastrointestinal These Escherichia coli are also called pathogenic Escherichia coli.
The researchers said that due to the close distance between the opening of the urinary tract and the exit of the large intestine and anus due to the structure of the human body, bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract, especially E. coli, often invade the bladder after breeding at the opening of the urethra, causing urinary system infections, including kidneys, ureter and urethra. Coupled with the shorter urethra of women, the risk of infection is 30 times that of men.
E. coli causes 6 to 8 million UTIs in the U.S. each year, and according to new research, these infections may be linked to E. coli in meat.
The researchers explained that when the meat is contaminated with E. coli, if it is not cooked, it will continue to survive on the meat and then be eaten by unsuspecting people. The E. coli will pass through the digestive system and leave the anus, and if it enters the urinary system It can cause infection, causing stinging, burning or cloudy urine when urinating, and pain in the pelvic cavity.
A team from The Milken School of Public Health at The George Washington University analyzed meat, including chicken, turkey, and pork, sold at retail stores between January and December 2012, and collected local urinary tract Urine and blood samples from infected hospitalized patients.
The researchers spent 10 years analyzing the data and found that about 8 percent (480,000 to 640,000 cases) of E. coli UTIs in the United States each year are caused by meat strains.
Experts remind that if not treated in time, these urinary tract infections caused by E. coli may lead to permanent kidney damage, sepsis and urethral stricture; if the bacteria run into the blood, it will cause systemic infection. E. coli infection kills 36,000 to 40,000 people each year.
The researchers called on relevant units to carry out more pathogen monitoring on raw meat sold in grocery stores, and reminded the public to separate raw and cooked food, and to distinguish between raw and cooked food special-purpose cutting boards, knives and other cooking utensils, and after processing Wash your hands thoroughly after raw meat.
U.S. study: E. coli in raw meat to blame for UTIs