Urinary Tract Infection

About Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infections UTIs affect an estimated 150 million people each year worldwide. UTIs are classified as lower cystitis bladder infection or upper pyelonephritis kidney infection. The most common causative organism is Escherichia coli, responsible for around 80 percent or more of uncomplicated UTIs. Other organisms include Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Klebsiella, Proteus, and Enterococcus. Symptoms of lower UTI include burning with urination dysuria, frequent urination, urgency, suprapubic pain, and cloudy or bloody urine. Pyelonephritis adds fever, chills, and flank pain. Women are at higher risk due to shorter urethra. Risk factors include sexual activity, pregnancy, menopause, catheter use, diabetes, and urinary tract abnormalities. Uncomplicated UTIs in women are often diagnosed clinically and treated with antibiotics such as nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole, or fosfomycin, selected by a clinician with local resistance patterns in mind. Approaches to recurrent UTIs, sometimes including preventive antibiotics, are individualised; evidence for cranberry products is mixed. Kidney infection is more serious, needs prompt medical treatment, and sometimes requires hospital care.