Cranberry juice and urinary tract infections

Women are often affected by urinary tracts infections (UTIs), up to 11% of women experiencing an episode in a year, and 50% reporting an episode in their lifetime. Recurrences are also common; various studies have shown that 25 to 40% of women will have had a further episode by the end of one year, and 3% or more will continue to have recurrences. These frustrate and distress patients, and may also contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. The cost to the community is large, around US$1.6 billion annually in the USA.