Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 20, 2026
An In Vitro Bladder Model of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection
Published on: June 24, 2025
Does cranberry have a role in catheter-associated urinary tract infections?
Dominique Thomas1, Matthew Rutman2, Kimberly Cooper2
1Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College/New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, United States.
Insights
Oral cranberry supplements effectively reduced symptomatic catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs) and antibiotic resistance in patients with long-term catheters. This intervention showed promising results with no adverse events observed.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Infectious Diseases
- Natural Products
Background:
- Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs) represent a significant healthcare burden with limited treatment options.
- Recurrent CA-UTIs in patients with indwelling catheters pose a persistent clinical challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy of an oral cranberry supplement in mitigating symptomatic CA-UTIs over a six-month period.
- To evaluate the impact of cranberry supplementation on bacterial counts and antibiotic resistance patterns in CA-UTI patients.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of patients with long-term indwelling catheters and recurrent CA-UTIs received a daily oral cranberry supplement containing 36 mg of proanthocyanidin (PACs).
- Symptomatic CA-UTIs were defined by specific bacterial counts (≥10³ cfu/mL) and clinical signs/symptoms.
- Primary endpoint was the reduction in symptomatic CA-UTI occurrences; secondary endpoints included changes in bacterial load and antibiotic resistance.
Main Results:
- The cranberry supplement significantly reduced the incidence of symptomatic CA-UTIs among the 22 patients who completed the study.
- A notable decrease in antibiotic resistance by 28% and a 58.65% reduction in bacterial colony counts were observed.
- No adverse events were reported during the trial, indicating a favorable safety profile for the cranberry supplement.
Conclusions:
- Oral cranberry supplementation demonstrated effectiveness in reducing symptomatic CA-UTIs, antibiotic resistance, and key bacterial pathogens in the studied cohort.
- Further investigation through larger, placebo-controlled trials is warranted to solidify the role of cranberry in managing CA-UTIs.
Introduction:
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs) are a prevalent and costly condition, with very few therapeutic options. We sought to evaluate the efficacy of an oral cranberry supplement on CA-UTIs over a six-month period.
Methods:
Subjects with long-term indwelling catheters and recurrent symptomatic CA-UTIs were enrolled to take a once-daily oral cranberry supplement with 36 mg of the active ingredient proanthocyanidin (PACs). Primary outcome was reducing the number of symptomatic CA-UTIs. This was defined by ≥103 (cfu)/mL of ≥1 bacterial species in a single catheter urine specimen and signs and symptoms compatible with CA-UTI. Secondary outcomes included bacterial counts and resistance patterns to antibiotics.
Results:
Thirty-four patients were enrolled in the trial; 22 patients (mean age 77.22 years, 77.27% were men) completed the study. Cranberry was effective in reducing the number of symptomatic CA-UTIs in all patients (n=22). Resistance to antibiotics was reduced by 28%. Furthermore, colony counts were reduced by 58.65%. No subjects had adverse events while taking cranberry.
Conclusions:
The cranberry supplement reduced the number of symptomatic CA-UTIs, antibiotic resistances, and major causative organisms in this cohort. Larger, placebo-controlled studies are needed to further define the role of cranberry in CA-UTIs.
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