In a recent study led by Soman Abraham from Duke University, investigators observed that an increase in nociceptive sensory nerves in urinary tract biopsies from patients with recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs) was linked to elevated nerve growth factor (NGF) from monocytes and mast cells. This overgrowth of nerve cells appeared to cause lingering symptoms after rUTIs. These findings, appearing in the March 1, 2024, online edition of Science Immunology, have the potential to provide a new approach to managing symptoms of rUTIs that would reduce unnecessary antibiotic usage.