Those who suffer from it know only too well: urinary tract infection (or cystitis) causes intense pain in patients. But this inflammation of the bladder could soon be a distant memory, thanks to the development of a promising vaccine.
No need to present cystitis, which manifests an irrepressible urge to urinate, a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen and sometimes unbearable pain during urination. This inflammation of the bladder, most often caused by bacteria present in the digestive tract, makes know theHealth Insurance. If women are the main victims, men are not spared either, although they are rarer before the age of 50. In case of crisis, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics to kill bacteria growing in your bladder. Less radical in the treatment of pain, Cranberry capsules can also be used in prevention. But this ordeal could soon come to an end, thanks to the work of researchers at Duke University in North Carolina.
A vaccine to put under the tongue immunizing
In November 2022, the team publishes the results of its work in the journal Science Advances, aware of the physical and psychological suffering caused by this public health problem. Their solution? A vaccine in the form of sublingual tablets (to be placed under the tongue) with rapid dissolution designed from “nanofibers peptide-polymers” capable of penetrating the oral mucosa. This alternative to antibiotics would “provide long-term protection against Uropathogenic Escherichia coli(strains) responsible for 80% of uncomplicated urinary tract infections”, specify the authors. Thanks to this method of administration, they explain that they have managed to immunize a group of mice and rabbits against urinary tract infections on a long-term basis. In addition to t directly reach the bloodstream and preserve the intestinal flora, this vaccine does not need to be kept cool, nor to be administered by a doctor.So more effective, and faster!
Drink enough and don’t hold back from urinating
Ultimately, the challenge is to offer patients an alternative to antibiotics for the treatment and prevention of urinary tract infections. In 2018, a study published in review JAMA even revealed that fosfomycin, the most widely prescribed antibiotic today to treat cystitis was not, or very little effective. But until this vaccine can be marketed, easy-to-implement solutions exist to prevent the onset of crises and their recurrence. For example, it is a matter of drinking plenty of water and limiting alcohol consumption, not refraining from going to the toilet, limiting the use of perfumed intimate hygiene products, or even systematically urinate after sex. If you manage to apply all these recommendations, which can be found on the Health Insurance website, you will have a good chance of getting out unscathed.
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⋙ Cystitis: how to calm a urinary tract infection quickly?
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