Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are one of the most common infections women experience. A specific type called cystitis—an infection of the bladder—is especially widespread. In fact, about half of all women will have a UTI at least once in their lifetime.
These infections can cause pain, burning when peeing, and a strong urge to urinate often. While they are usually treatable, they can be serious if not handled properly.
One big problem with UTIs is that the bacteria causing them are becoming harder to kill with antibiotics. This growing resistance makes it tricky for doctors to choose the right medicine.
Often, doctors prescribe antibiotics without knowing exactly which bacteria are causing the infection, because standard lab tests take a couple of days to give results. During that time, the infection might get worse—or the wrong antibiotic might be used, adding to the resistance problem.
Now, a team of researchers from ETH Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital in Switzerland has developed a new test that could change the way we treat UTIs. Their method can identify the bacteria in a UTI in less than four hours—much faster than current tests. Even better, it uses a fascinating tool from nature: viruses called bacteriophages.
Bacteriophages, or phages for short, are tiny viruses that infect and destroy specific bacteria. They’re like highly targeted natural predators. Scientists have known about phages for over a century, but they fell out of favor once antibiotics were discovered. With antibiotic resistance now rising fast, researchers are taking a fresh look at what phages can do.
Professor Martin Loessner and his team modified phages so that when they find their target bacteria in a urine sample, the bacteria light up—literally. The infected bacteria give off a small glow that can be detected quickly and clearly. This glow tells doctors which bacteria are present in the infection, allowing them to choose the right antibiotic without delay.
This test not only speeds up diagnosis, but it also helps fight antibiotic resistance by reducing the number of wrong or unnecessary prescriptions. That’s a big deal for public health, especially as UTIs become more difficult to treat.
And the innovation doesn’t stop there. The team also upgraded the phages so they can produce proteins that help kill bacteria directly. So, these phages can both identify and attack harmful bacteria, making them powerful tools in both diagnosis and treatment.
The researchers are now preparing for clinical trials to see how well the test works in real-life settings. If all goes well, this method could be used in hospitals and clinics to give patients faster, more accurate care.
Matthew Dunne, one of the study’s authors, says this is just the beginning. The team hopes this new phage-based technology could lead to broader changes in how we handle infections, from faster tests to more targeted treatments.
For the millions of women who experience UTIs—and for doctors trying to stay ahead of antibiotic resistance—this breakthrough brings real hope. It’s a smart, science-based solution that could make UTI treatment faster, safer, and more effective.
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