Urinary Tract Infections Linked to Contaminated Meat
A four-year study (2017-2021) was conducted.
Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) UTIs may be caused by E. coli bacteria transmitted through contaminated meat.
The study was conducted in Southern California.
More than 5,700 bacterial samples were analyzed (UTI patients & grocery store meat).
Approximately 8 million UTIs are diagnosed annually in the United States.
E. coli from contaminated meat enters the digestive system and can travel to the urethra via poor hygiene or improper wiping.
- Turkey: 82% contamination rate
- Chicken: 58% contamination rate
- Pork: 54% contamination rate
- Beef: 47% contamination rate
Chicken and turkey products contained the riskiest bacterial strains for causing human infections.
Most UTI patients in the study were female, wiht a median age of 50.
The study was conducted in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente Southern California.