Escherichia coli bacteria, better known as E. coli, are often behind food poisoning, but a new study suggests they could make you sick in other ways.
Research recently published in One Health has revealed that these same microbes may be responsible for causing millions of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
UTIs are a very common illness that affect more than half of women at least once in their lives. A vast majority of them are caused by E. coli.
Symptoms of a UTI include a frequent urge to urinate, burning while urinating, and lower belly pain.
Most strains of E. coli exist naturally in the gut as part of a diverse microbiome. They are completely harmless and even possess benefits. However, when E. coli is shed in stool, it can migrate to the urinary tract and cause a UTI….