(NewsNation) — Urinary tract infections have long been associated with sexual activity and poor hygiene, but a new study found that nearly 1 in 5 infections were linked to contaminated meat.

The results of the four-year study, published in the American Society of Microbiology Journal Thursday, showed that 18% of UTIs in the patient population were linked to E. coli strains of animal origin. Among the so-called foodborne UTIs, the highest risk of exposure was from chicken and turkey.

While the over 5,700 samples were collected from patients with UTIs and grocery stores in Southern California, the authors say the risk isn't confined to California.

“Urinary tract infections have long been considered a personal health issue, but our findings suggest that they are also a food safety problem,

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