Study sheds new light on urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women
The study showed that in recurrent urinary tract infections, several species of bacteria can invade bladder walls, leading to a vicious cycle of chronic inflammation and infection.
A UT Southwestern study suggests why urinary tract infections (UTIs) have such a high recurrence rate in postmenopausal women – several species of bacteria can invade the bladder walls.
UTI treatment is the most common reason for antibiotic prescriptions in older adults. Because of the prevalence of UTIs, the societal impact is high and treatment costs billions of dollars annually.
Recurrent UTI (RUTI) reduces quality of life, places a significant burden on the health care system, and contributes to antimicrobial resistance,
said Dr. Kim Orth, Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at UTSW and senior author of the study, published in the Journal of Molecular Biology.