Antibiotics Resistance Has Now Become A Crisis
As you probably know by now, antibiotics are less and less effective in treating a UTI. It used to be that one course of antibiotics taken over a week or so would stop these infections forever. No longer.
In fact, approximately 40% of patients who were treated for a UTI are back in the doctor’s office within a month with the same symptoms. This trend is causing doctors quite a bit of frustration.
The reason that we’re seeing this high level of recurrence is because the bacteria have learned to outsmart the drugs. Both the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the WHO (World Health Organization) are sending out alarm bells about what’s now known as the “Antibiotics Resistance Crisis”.
In order to understand which antibiotics are still working and what aren’t, you need to first know what types of bacteria cause UTIs and then which medications are most effective in treating them.
The Types of UTI Bacteria
There are two types of bacteria which can cause urinary tract infections: gram-negative bacteria and gram-positive bacteria.
Gram-negative bacteria account for 80% of all UTIs and gram-positive for 20%.
E. Coli and Klebsiella (highlighted in aqua) are the most common bacteria, representing 74% of all infections.
The remaining 26% of bacteria are very difficult to treat and may require the administration of intravenous antibiotics at a doctor’s office or hospital.
Only A Few Antibiotics Will Help A Typical UTI Today
So now you know that the most common cause of a UTI is an E Coli bacteria. The graph below shows which antibiotics still work against this type of infection.
As illustrated, there are only a few drugs (on the left side) that will still stop E. Coli, and many of these are administered via an IV in the hospital.
The two oral antibiotics which are most effective today are Macrobid (Nitrofurantoin) and Monurol (Fosfomycin)
Those which are least effective are Bactrim (Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim), Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) and Keflex (Cephalexin).
Natural Supplements Now Proven As Effective Alternative To Antibiotics
Given the high rate of antibiotics resistance, doctors are now turning to D-Mannose and cranberry extract as alternatives for their patients with E. Coli and Kelbsiella infections.
D-Mannose is a powder extracted from fruits to which the bacteria have a natural attraction. The strands of the bacteria cling to the D-Mannose molecules and are flushed out of the bladder with the urine.
Cranberry extract in capsule form works differently. It lines the bladder with a slippery surface so that the bacteria cannot stick and cause a new infection. This is found to be the best long-term defense against recurring UTIs.
Both natural supplements have recently been proven to be as effective as antibiotics, without the negative side effects. Click here to read articles which have been recently published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on both supplements.
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