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PETA rolls out “go vegan” ads based on Flagstaff research

raw chicken in a package sitting next to pineapple slices
Amanda Mills/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Some sink area safety tips offered by the Centers for Disease Control include: Thoroughly wash hands prior to food preparation, or eating. Clean cutting boards, knives, and countertops to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.

Flagstaff residents may soon see advertisements in town encouraging women to “go vegan” to reduce their risk of urinary tract infections. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports, the campaign is run by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, and was inspired by recent scientific research.

The advertisementcites a recent study that found eight percent of urinary tract infections at Flagstaff’s hospital could be traced to E. coli bacteria in raw meat. That scales up to half a million infections in the United States every year.

Amber Canavan, a PETA spokesperson, "We’re pointing out that…meat consumption is a concern for people who are going through sometimes repeated urinary tract infections; that the bacteria that’s coming from meat is possibly causing this very hidden public health issue."

Canavan says she hopes the campaign will encourage people to consider other health problems linked to meat and broader issues like climate change.

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  • Researchers have determined that of the 6 to 8 million urinary tract infections reported in the U.S. each year, a whopping 85% are caused by E. coli bacteria that are mostly already living in our gut. Now, a new study by an Arizona researcher shows for the first time that raw meat is also a significant source of infection-causing E. coli. Lance Price spent a year buying meat from every grocery story in Flagstaff to make the connection. He spoke with KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny about his findings.