Although it has been reported that drinking cranberry juice can help prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs), clinical trials of this popular folk remedy have produced mixed results, as some studies have shown that drinking cranberry juice can keep bacteria that cause UTIs from sticking to cells lining the urinary tract. Now, researchers reporting in ACS' Journal of Natural Products have identified cranberry oligosaccharides in the urine of cranberry-fed pigs that could be responsible for this activity.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about half of all U.S. women will have a UTI sometime during their lives. Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics to treat the painful condition, but this could contribute to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To enable better UTI prevention strategies, Christina Coleman, Daneel Ferreira and colleagues from several institutions wanted to identify active compounds from cranberries that end up in urine and potentially keep bacteria from adhering to human cells.
The researchers fed female pigs dried cranberry powder, collected their urine and used chromatography to separate it into fractions of differently sized molecules. Then, they screened the samples for anti-adhesion activity against the E. coli bacteria that cause UTIs. To the researchers' surprise, proanthocyanidins, the compounds previously proposed to be responsible for cranberry's apparent UTI prevention properties, were absent from the active urine fractions. Instead, the researchers detected oligosaccharides called arabinoxyloglucans in those samples. These complex carbohydrates, related to cellulose, are difficult to detect and isolate, which could explain why they hadn't previously been identified as anti-adhesive components of cranberry, the researchers say.
The authors acknowledge funding from the National Institutes of Health, the University of Mississippi the U.S. Department of Energy.
Source: American Chemical Society
Stay prepared and protected with Infection Control Today's newsletter, delivering essential updates, best practices, and expert insights for infection preventionists.
Reducing Hidden Risks: Why Sharps Injuries Still Go Unreported
July 18th 2025Despite being a well-known occupational hazard, sharps injuries continue to occur in health care facilities and are often underreported, underestimated, and inadequately addressed. A recent interview with sharps safety advocate Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, a perioperative educational consultant, reveals why change is overdue and what new tools and guidance can help.
New Study Explores Oral Vancomycin to Prevent C difficile Recurrence, But Questions Remain
July 17th 2025A new clinical trial explores the use of low-dose oral vancomycin to prevent Clostridioides difficile recurrence in high-risk patients taking antibiotics. While the data suggest a possible benefit, the findings stop short of statistical significance and raise red flags about vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), underscoring the delicate balance between prevention and antimicrobial stewardship.
What Lies Beneath: Why Borescopes Are Essential for Verifying Surgical Instrument Cleanliness
July 16th 2025Despite their smooth, polished exteriors, surgical instruments often harbor dangerous contaminants deep inside their lumens. At the HSPA25 and APIC25 conferences, Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, and her colleagues revealed why borescopes are an indispensable tool for sterile processing teams, offering the only reliable way to verify internal cleanliness and improve sterile processing effectiveness to prevent patient harm.
The Next Frontier in Infection Control: AI-Driven Operating Rooms
Published: July 15th 2025 | Updated: July 15th 2025Discover how AI-powered sensors, smart surveillance, and advanced analytics are revolutionizing infection prevention in the OR. Herman DeBoard, PhD, discusses how these technologies safeguard sterile fields, reduce SSIs, and help hospitals balance operational efficiency with patient safety.
Targeting Uncertainty: Why Pregnancy May Be the Best Time to Build Vaccine Confidence
July 15th 2025New national survey data reveal high uncertainty among pregnant individuals—especially first-time parents—about vaccinating their future children, underscoring the value of proactive engagement to strengthen infection prevention.