Urinary Tract Infection - Other Treatments

Vaccines. Vaccines are being developed against urinary tract infections. There is some urgency in the need for such vaccines, as bacterial strains resistant to many common antibiotics are becoming increasingly prevalent. The Urovac vaccine, for example, is an immune-boosting vaginal suppository made from 10 heat-killed strains of common UTI-causing bacteria. In early trials, 55% of the women who received the vaccine plus booster doses remained free of recurrences at six months, compared to 22% who got a dummy vaccine or the vaccine without boosters. None had serious side effects. Investigators are also testing a vaccine that prevents E. coli from attaching to the lining of the bladder.

Circumcision in Infant Males

Although there is some controversy over whether circumcision helps prevent UTIs in boys, a 2000 analysis of nearly 15,000 male infants reported that the uncircumcised boys under one years old had nine times the risk for UTIs as circumcised boys. (The risk is still very low, in any case.)

Click the icon to see an image of a circumcised penis in comparison to an uncircumcised penis.

Biofeedback in Children

Some research indicates that in children who are prone to UTIs because of problems related to urine voiding, teaching them to relax and control their pelvic muscles using biofeedback, a technique that provides visual and auditory clues in response to specific exercises, results in fewer recurrences of infection.

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