Reducing unnecessary antibiotic use for urinary tract infections
Official title: Diagnostic Stewardship as a 'nudge' to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use for urinary tract infections
Funded at Baltimore VA Medical Center · NIH-11194229 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at ways to better diagnose urinary tract infections (UTIs) so that people don’t get prescribed antibiotics they don’t need, helping to keep antibiotics effective for everyone.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baltimore VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2020 |
| Project end | September 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX002906-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11194229 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients experiencing symptoms of urinary tract infections who may be at risk of receiving unnecessary antibiotic treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have already been diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and are receiving appropriate antibiotic treatment may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how to improve the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs) to prevent unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions. It focuses on a method called diagnostic stewardship, which aims to refine the processes involved in ordering and interpreting urine cultures. By doing so, the research seeks to reduce the overdiagnosis of UTIs and the subsequent overuse of antibiotics, which contributes to antibiotic resistance. The study will involve collaboration with healthcare experts and clinicians to develop effective implementation strategies and assess the real-world impact of these methods on patient care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a significant reduction in inappropriate antibiotic use, thereby decreasing the risk of antibiotic resistance and improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work has shown success in reducing unnecessary urine cultures and antibiotic use through similar diagnostic stewardship approaches.
Where this research is happening
-
Baltimore VA Medical Center
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Morgan, Daniel J — Baltimore VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Morgan, Daniel J
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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New ways to stop urinary tract infections by blocking bacterial adhesion
A study to test new methods that prevent bacteria from sticking to urinary tract tissues and devices, potentially stopping infections before they start.
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Hybridization capture sequencing to quickly identify canine urinary pathogens and resistance genes
A new sequencing approach directly from dog urine aims to rapidly identify bacteria causing urinary infections and their drug-resistance profiles to guide treatment.
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Enterococcal Proteases and CAUTI: How the body’s environment activates bacteria to cause infections
A small grant is exploring how two enzymes from Enterococcus faecalis interact with the urine environment to drive catheter-associated urinary tract infections and why these infections are hard to treat.
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Daily nitrofurantoin with or without bladder cauterization to prevent recurrent bladder infections in women
This study tests two approaches to prevent recurrent bladder infections in women: taking a low-dose antibiotic every day versus adding a bladder cauterization procedure plus the same daily antibiotic.
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New bacterial pathway that helps cause bladder infections
Researchers are exploring how bacteria steal nutrients in the bladder and how the body fights them to help people with urinary tract infections.
-
New oral antifungal for tough Candida UTIs
A Johns Hopkins team is testing a new oral antifungal medicine called fungerps to treat urinary tract infections caused by azole-resistant Candida fungi.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.