Non-antibiotic treatments for the management of recurrent urinary tract infection in the multidrug resistance era: A narrative review
TL;DR
These strategies represent essential steps toward sustainable UTI management, but most will require further clinical validation before their use in the general population.
Abstract
Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a significant global health burden, increasingly complicated by antibiotic resistance. Traditional approaches with antibiotics increase the risk of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, emphasizing the need for new non-antibiotic treatments. Several promising approaches have emerged during the last decade. Microbiome-based therapies, including probiotics, asymptomatic bacteriuria strains, and fecal microbiota transplantation, aim to restore microbial balance. Immunomodulation, through cytokine targeting and bacterial vaccines, shows potential for boosting host defenses. Bacteriophage therapy offers precision targeting of MDR pathogens and biofilms. Nanoparticles enable targeted delivery and biofilm disruption through both organic and inorganic carriers. Additionally, agents like methenamine hippurate, D-mannose, estrogen, and cranberry extracts have shown varying degrees of efficacy and safety. These strategies represent essential steps toward sustainable UTI management, but most will require further clinical validation before their use in the general population.