Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common health issue, especially for women.
In fact, about half of all women will have a UTI at some point in their lives. Many also experience recurring infections, which can be painful and frustrating.
If left untreated, UTIs can lead to more serious health problems. But treating them isn’t always easy. One of the biggest challenges today is antibiotic resistance. That’s when the bacteria that cause infections stop responding to the antibiotics doctors usually use. As a result, doctors sometimes struggle to choose the right treatment.
Normally, it takes a few days to find out which bacteria is causing the infection. Doctors often have to prescribe antibiotics before they know the exact cause, which increases the risk of using the wrong medication and worsening antibiotic resistance.
But researchers from ETH Zurich, working with Balgrist University Hospital, have come up with a new way to solve this problem. They’ve developed a fast test that uses bacteriophages—viruses that naturally attack bacteria—to quickly identify the type of bacteria causing the UTI.
These phages were also genetically modified to make them even better at killing bacteria. Their research was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.
Bacteriophages, or “phages” for short, are like smart weapons that only target certain bacteria. Professor Martin Loessner and his team found phages that work against the three main bacteria responsible for most UTIs: E. coli, Klebsiella, and Enterococci.
The scientists modified these phages so that when they infect bacteria, the bacteria light up. This makes it possible to see which bacteria are present in a urine sample—in less than four hours.
Thanks to this test, doctors can quickly figure out which bacteria are causing the infection and choose the right antibiotic right away. This not only speeds up treatment but also reduces the chances of antibiotic resistance.
The researchers are also bringing back an old idea: phage therapy. This type of treatment has been around for more than 100 years but was mostly forgotten in Western countries after antibiotics like penicillin were discovered. Now, with antibiotic resistance on the rise, phage therapy is getting a second look.
Phages are very precise. They only attack the bacteria they’re designed for, unlike antibiotics, which can affect both good and bad bacteria. In their new approach, the researchers didn’t just rely on natural phages. They modified them to do even more damage to bacteria by producing special proteins called bacteriocins. These proteins kill bacteria, making the therapy even stronger.
The research team is now planning clinical trials with patients to test how well this treatment works. It’s still early days, but it’s a big step forward.
Matthew Dunne, a lead author of the study, says many researchers around the world are working on phage therapy, both natural and genetically modified.
However, to make phage treatments more widely available, especially in Western countries, more studies and updated rules will be needed. Phages are living organisms that can change over time, so the laws around them must take that into account.
This new test and treatment method could completely change how UTIs are diagnosed and treated. It offers faster results and more targeted therapy, which could help reduce antibiotic resistance and make life better for people who suffer from these infections.
Staying up to date with health research is important. Alongside this exciting development, recent studies have also looked at how common painkillers might raise the risk of bone fractures, while foods like Jarlsberg cheese and certain vitamins may help strengthen bones.
The promising research on UTIs was published in Nature Communications and could be the start of a whole new way to fight infections.
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