Tracing where UTI-causing E. coli come from in northwest Ecuador
Zoonotic Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in Northwest Ecuador: Incidence and Risk Factors
Researchers will use DNA testing, surveys, and local sampling to find how E. coli that cause urinary tract infections move between people, animals, and food in northwest Ecuador so communities can better prevent infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11135373 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you live in the affected communities, researchers may ask for information about household animals, food and water sources, and recent illness. They will collect samples from people with urinary tract infections, as well as from livestock, poultry, meat products, and the environment. Lab teams will compare bacterial DNA to link strains across people and animals and map how they spread across neighborhoods over time. The work combines local surveys, environmental sampling, and genomic analyses to pinpoint likely transmission routes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are residents of the northwestern coastal region of Ecuador, especially people with recent UTIs or households with livestock, poultry, or close animal contact who are willing to provide samples and survey information.
Not a fit: People living outside the study region, those with non-bacterial or unrelated urinary conditions, or patients who need immediate clinical care rather than participation in research are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify common animal or food sources of UTI-causing E. coli so prevention efforts and public health advice can be better targeted.
How similar studies have performed: Similar genomic approaches have linked a portion of UTI cases to meat in the United States, but applying these methods in low-resource communities is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eisenberg, Joseph N. S. — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Eisenberg, Joseph N. S.
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 below.