Increased Sexual Activity

   Increased sexual activity and alcohol consumption were associated with an increased risk of developing urinary tract infections (UTIs), and college-aged women experiencing urinary frequency or urgency should seek medical care to treat what may be their first urinary tract infection (UTI), according to new research presented at the 104th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA). Researchers studied 181 women with their first urinary tract infections who presented to the student health care facility at the University of Florida. The control group consisted of 80 women attending the clinic without a urinary tract infections. A clinic nurse administered a survey that addressed lifestyle habits and dietary intake. Results showed that frequency and urgency were the most common symptom, and that UTIs were most commonly found in women who had increased sexual activity and recent alcohol consumption. The use of sanitary napkins during menstruation also increased the risk for a first-time urinary tract infections. Hesitating to urinate, direction of wiping and the use of tampons did not appear to correlate with increased urinary tract infections risk. Co-existing chlamydia, gonorrhea and yeast infections did not contribute significantly to urinary symptoms.

"If you are experiencing urinary frequency and urgency, you should seek medical attention," said Anthony Y. Smith, MD, an AUA spokesman. "A woman experiencing her first urinary tract infection might not recognize these symptoms immediately. But, medical attention is necessary because UTIs can lead to kidney infection and even sepsis. So, it is important for women who notice these symptoms to seek medical attention."

Urinary tract infections affect 53 % of women and 14 % of men at least once in their lives. These infections lead to lost work time and 6.8 million medical provider's office visits, 1.3 million emergency room visits and 245,000 hospitalizations a year, with an annual cost of $2.4 billion in the United States. Online Pharmacy provides the access to health information and prescription medications.

To help combat this common health issue, the U-M scientists used a novel systematic approach, combining bioinformatics, genomics and proteomics, to look for key parts of the bacterium, Escherichia coli, that could be used in a vaccine to elicit an effective immune response. The team, led by Dr. Harry L.T. Mobley, Ph.D., screened 5,379 possible bacterial proteins and identified three strong candidates to use in a vaccine to prime the body to fight E. coli, the cause of most uncomplicated urinary tract infections. The vaccine prevented infection and produced key types of immunity when tested in mice.

Scientists have attempted to develop a vaccine for urinary tract infections over the past two decades. This latest potential vaccine has features that may better its chances of success. It alerts the immune system to iron receptors on the surface of bacteria that perform a critical function allowing infection to spread. Administered in the nose, it induces an immune response in the body's mucosa, a first line of defense against invading pathogens. The response, also produced in mucosal tissue in the urinary tract, should help the body fight infection where it starts.

Mobley's team is currently testing more strains of E. coli obtained from women treated at U-M. Most of the strains produce the same iron-related proteins that cthe vaccine targets, an encouraging sign that the vaccine could work against many urinary tract infections. Mobley is seeking partners in clinical research to move the vaccine forward into a phase 1 trial in humans. If successful, this vaccine would take several more years to reach the market.