HealthThe UTI Culprit We Didn't See Coming…What's going on: Well, well, well. After years of being told to blame our hygiene and sexual habits for urinary tract infections, we have a new culprit: contaminated meat. In a four-year study of patients, researchers found that nearly one in five UTIs in that group likely came from eating or handling E. coli–infected chicken, turkey, pork, or beef. The bacteria entered the gut after patients touched or ate the meat and eventually made their way into the urinary tract through the urethra. UTIs are painfully common — about 6 to 8 million cases a year — and roughly 80% are caused by E. coli bacteria. What it means: Turns out, UTIs can be foodborne — something scientists only began to realize in recent decades. If only they studied women’s health… a lot more. Experts say preventing cross-contamination can help: Wash your hands and cutting boards after touching raw meat. But one of the study’s lead authors, Lance Price, thinks the burden shouldn’t fall entirely on consumers. Price argues that regulators and meat producers need tighter safety standards, from cleaner supply chains to better packaging. In other words? With recent warnings that federal job cuts could weaken food safety oversight, it might not be such a stretch to say: go ahead and blame the government for your next UTI (tell that to your sex-shaming doctor). Related: mRNA Covid Shots Show Unexpected Cancer-Fighting Potential (NBC News) | 
