(NewsNation) — Food contamination has been linked to urinary tract infections based on a recent study this month.
Almost 1 in 5 urinary tract infections are connected to contaminated meat in Southern California due to E. coli strains, according to a study published in the American Society of Microbiology Journal.
The study found that 18% of UTIs in the study population were linked to E. coli strains of animal origin, which are known as foodborne UTIs, with the highest risk of exposure coming from chicken and turkey.
People living in low-income areas had a 60% higher risk of foodborne UTIs compared to those in wealthier neighborhoods, the study found, with older men and women being especially vulnerable.
E. Coli can cause severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting, and people can be exposed to the strain from undercooked or contaminated food like raw vegetables or meat, according to the Mayo Clinic. The elderly and children are a particularly vulnerable population should they be exposed to this strain, which could result in kidney failure.
The CDC states that UTIs are “common infections that happen when bacteria, often from the skin or rectum, enter the urethra and infect the urinary tract.”
How to protect yourself from E. Coli
Marion Mass, a practicing pediatrician, told NewsNation that the study showed that “the strains most likely to cause infection were more likely to be found in chicken and turkey. So, one important measure is to make sure that you’re cooking your meat appropriately to the right temperature.”
Mass said to limit the possibility of being exposed to E. coli, practice good bathroom hygiene and handwash after handling raw or undercooked meat.
“The E. coli starts in your gut and ends up in your stool, so wiping the correct way is pretty important. That would be a bigger issue in children as training a 2-, 3- or 4-year-old to wipe in the correct direction from front to back is harder than teaching an adult. While women are more vulnerable to UTIs, female girls are especially at risk.”
For children, she stressed being mindful of what they handle if they are learning to cook or helping in the kitchen.
“I am a big proponent of teaching your kids to cook, but having kids handle raw meat of any kind is a bad idea,” Mass said.