Urinary tract infections are among the most common bacterial infections of all, and anyone who has had one would not wish for a second. At Medipee, we are therefore occupied by an obvious question: Can the first signs of an infection actually be detected in the urine before burning, urgency, and pain begin? In this article, we would like to present our conceptual and research approach to this. To be clear: What we are describing here is a concept we are working on—not a product available today.
What we specifically look for in urine
Two parameters are of particular interest in urinary tract infections: leukocytes and nitrite. Leukocytes are immune cells, and their appearance in the urine indicates that an infectious process is occurring in the urinary tract. Nitrite is formed from nitrate by certain bacteria—though by no means all of them. If an infection is triggered by a non-nitrite-forming germ, this parameter can remain inconspicuous despite the infection. Leukocytes and nitrite are therefore valuable indicators, but on their own, they never provide the full picture.
Our idea: regular urine analysis plus symptom tracking
Our reasoning is simple: If these two parameters are monitored regularly over time, trends and changes could emerge that are often only noticed today when significant symptoms are already present. However, since changes in these values do not necessarily lead to a manifest urinary tract infection, we want to link the urine analysis with continuous symptom tracking via a standardized questionnaire. The combination of these two data streams is intended to help those affected identify developing infections earlier.
Alongside this, we are planning a structured knowledge area in which we provide information on prophylactic and acute measures and aim to strengthen one’s own body awareness. The companion app intended for this is internally called Vivoli. It is currently under development and is explicitly not to be understood as a product ready for sale.
What we do not promise—and what is important to us
At this point, a clear distinction is important to us: Our concept does not aim for a reliable prognosis or even the prediction of a urinary tract infection. That would be neither medically reputable nor realistic. What we want to achieve is a better, more refined management of one’s own urinary tract status—a basis for decision-making, not a diagnosis. Through the coaching component, we hope to reduce the number of urinary tract infections for those affected. And if changes in parameters or symptoms appear early, action can be taken in good time—ideally before symptoms impact quality of life.
Our long-term goal: to reduce the suffering of people with recurrent urinary tract infections and, in the long run, to help minimize the use of antibiotics for this indication. This is a vision we are working on—and we will continue to report on its progress here on the blog.
