Multidrug-resistant pathogens in UTIs: A concise review of epidemiology, diagnostics, and patent landscaping for precision healthcare.

UTIs are regarded as the second most prevalent global problem, with 150 to 250 million cases reported annually. Poor hygiene, anatomical abnormalities, and catheterization are the leading causes. Most UTI cases are caused by Escherichia coli and other bacteria. The burden of UTIs leads to increased antibiotic usage, including self-administration and inappropriate prescribing. Inappropriate empirical therapies can result in prolonged treatments and increased antimicrobial resistance in uropathogens. This review mainly focuses on various UTI diagnostic approaches, including urine culture, ELISA, and various moelcualr diagnistc metods. Additionally, it includes various biosensors, point-of-care methods, and devices readily available in the market for the detection of uropathogens. Emerging antibiotic resistance among uropathogens and patent scenarios in UTI diagnosis are also covered in this review, and it was observed that a total of 1584 patents have been published in the last 5 decades. The review concluded that, despite the abundance of detection technologies for UTI diagnosis, they are not always reliable for the current critical situation. Further research is required to develop an advanced biosensor-based UTI diagnosis kit using new high-throughput genomic technologies and nanobiotechnology equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) tools that give rapid and accurate results by detecting all the uropathogens along with antimicrobial susceptibility. This enables doctors to use 'precision medicine' to target potential disease-causing microbes more precisely. It will have an impact on effective infectious disease management. This may be aligned with the world's SDG 3: "Good Health and Well-Being," to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.