this urine infection This is a very common reason for consultation at primary care centers.It is estimated that approximately 400 million people per year. However, despite its frequency of research, diagnostic and treatment methods for it are about a century old. This has led to an increasing number of cases of recurrent urinary tract infections, causing discomfort to patients and potentially becoming a serious problem in the progression of the infection. Antibiotic resistance.
Aware of this problem, a group of scientists from the United States University College London A study was conducted to examine why traditional methods do not completely resolve urinary tract infections.For this purpose, they developed a artificial bladder They studied how the bacteria that cause the infection interact with it.
This allows them to find some of their own weakness And point out what methods should be used to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections. Now, it’s no surprise that other scientists still hope to follow this path and eventually take steps to combat a disease that primarily affects women a century later.
The ins and outs of bladder and urine infections
It is defined as a urinary tract infection that occurs when certain bacteria colonize the urinary tract and infect organs associated with this system through the urinary tract.The most common urine infections are Cystitisin which the infected organ is the bladder.
Therefore, the scientists developed a three-dimensional model based on bladder cell cultures in an environment that simulates the urinary tract.Therefore, it can be said that they developed a Artificial bladder.
After the first step was completed, they exposed the artificial bladder to several types of bacteria commonly associated with urinary tract infections: Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Streptococcus agalactiae and Klebsiella pneumoniae.
In this way, they discovered that they were not only urinary system environment, were also able to develop very effective ways to evade antibiotics and the immune system. They do this by adhering to the bladder wall to form a sheath-like structure.
This is done by good bacteria urogenital microbiota Such as pathogens, causing urinary tract infections. This is where we find the problem with traditional treatments and diagnostics.
Methods too old for current diseases
Urinary tract infections are usually diagnosed as tape They are introduced into the sample and indicate through color changes the presence of infection-related parameters, such as bacteria-fighting proteins, blood or lymphocytes.
Well enough culture urine Looking for bacteria in the laboratory. This takes more time; but logically it gives more reliable results. Once these results are obtained, antibiotic treatment is resorted to, almost a century after its discovery by Alexander Fleming.
Traditionally, a broad-spectrum antibiotic called Fosfomycin, two to three doses end the infection.The problem is that there are more and more bacteria that are resistant to it, so we have to go Try other antibiotics. Either way, there is no alternative. Indeed, some dietary supplements, such as cranberries, show promise in preventing and treating urinary tract infections. However, there is no evidence that they actually work.
So we have a test based on culturing the urine or analyzing it with a test strip.If bacteria attach to bladder wall, are rarely detected in urine, so false negatives may occur. This is even more significant when patients drink large amounts of water to lessen the discomfort of a urine infection.The sample becomes more dilute, making detection difficult hunt Bacteria that escape from the bladder wall.
As for treatment, antibiotics work like a cannonball to kill the fly.it uses a broad spectrum antibiotics It attacks these bacteria and possibly many others, including the beneficial bacteria in the microbiome. Therefore, it is not uncommon for another type of infection to sometimes develop after treatment for a urinary tract infection. And, if that’s not enough, the antibiotics may cause problems getting into the bladder wall. Therefore, the cannonball won’t even point in the right direction.
We should see how our bodies react
The study’s authors also found that by bringing the artificial bladder into contact with bacteria, immune system It generates defenses against pathogens. But nothing against harmless people. Therefore, they recommend that diagnostics should be based on the immune system’s response when a urine infection occurs. This may indicate whether there are harmful bacteria hiding in the bladder wall.
Furthermore, logically, they suggested developing drugs designed to cross bladder tissue.an antibiotic used oral Probably not enough.
After a hundred years, it’s time to innovate. One more question to ask yourself. If urine infections were as common in men as women, would there be innovation?