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o Urinary Tract Infections in Adults

o Urinary Tract Infections in Children

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Urinary Tract Infections in Adults

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are responsible for more than 8.1 million visits to
physicians' offices per year and about five percent of all visits to primary care
physicians. Approximately 40 percent of women and 12 percent of men will
experience at least one symptomatic urinary tract infection during their lifetime. How
do you know if you have one? What is the best treatment? The following information
should help you.
What happens under normal conditions?
The urinary tract makes and stores urine, one of the waste products of your body.
Urine is made in the kidneys and travels down the ureters to the bladder. The bladder
serves as a storage container for urine, which is then emptied by urinating through
the urethra, a tube that connects the bladder to the skin. The urethra connects to the
end of the penis in a male and connects to an area above the vagina in a female.

The kidneys are a pair of fist-sized organs located in the back that serve as a filtration
system to filter liquid waste from the blood and remove it from the body in the form
of urine. Kidneys adjust the body's balance of various chemicals (sodium,
potassium, calcium, phosphorous and others) and monitor the blood's acidity. Certain
hormones are also produced in the kidneys. These hormones help regulate blood
pressure, stimulate red blood cell production and promote strong bones. The ureters
are two muscular tubes that transport the urine down to the bladder.
Normal urine is sterile and contains no bacteria. However, bacteria may get into the
urine from the urethra and travel into the bladder. A bladder infection is known
as cystitis and a kidney infection is known as pyelonephritis. Kidney infections are
much less common but often more serious than bladder infections.
What are the symptoms of a urinary tract infection?
When you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), the lining of the bladder
and urethra become red and irritated just as your throat does when you have a cold.
The irritation can cause pain in your abdomen and pelvic area and may make you feel
like emptying your bladder more often. You may even try to urinate but only produce
a few drops and/or feel some burning as your urine comes out. At times, you may lose
control of your urine. You may also find that your urine smells unpleasant or is
cloudy.
Kidney infections often cause fevers and back pain. These infections need to be
treated promptly because a kidney infection can quickly spread into the bloodstream
and cause a life-threatening condition.
UTIs are often categorized as simple (uncomplicated) or complicated. Simple UTIs
are infections that occur in normal urinary tracts. Complicated UTIs occur in
abnormal urinary tracts or when the bacterium causing the infection is resistant to
many antibiotic medications.
What causes urinary tract infections?
Large numbers of bacteria live in the rectal area and also on your skin. Bacteria may
get into the urine from the urethra and travel into the bladder. It may even travel up to
the kidney. But no matter how far it goes, bacteria in the urinary tract can cause
problems.
Just as some people are more prone to colds, some people are more prone to UTIs.
Women who have gone through menopause have a change in the lining of the vagina
and lose the protective effects of estrogen that decrease the likelihood of UTIs.

Postmenopausal women with UTIs may benefit from hormone replacement. Some
women are genetically predisposed to UTIs and have urinary tracts that allow bacteria
to adhere to it more readily. Sexual intercourse also increases the frequency of UTIs.
Women who use diaphragms have also been found to have an increased risk when
compared to those using other forms of birth control. Using condoms withspermicidal
foam is also known to be associated with an increase in UTIs in women. Women are
more prone to UTIs because they have shorter urethras than men so bacteria have a
shorter distance to travel to reach the bladder.
You are more likely to get a UTI if your urinary tract has an abnormality or has
recently been instrumented (for example, had a catheter in place). If you are unable to
urinate normally because of some type of obstruction, you will also have a higher
chance of a UTI.
Disorders such as diabetes also put people at higher risk for UTIs because of the
body's decrease in immune function and thus a reduced ability to fight off infections
such as UTIs.
Anatomical abnormalities in the urinary tract may also lead to UTIs. These
abnormalities are often found in children at an early age but can still be found in
adults. There may be structural abnormalities, such as outpouchings called diverticula,
that harbor bacteria in the bladder or urethra or even blockages, such as an enlarged
bladder, that reduce the body's ability to completely remove all urine from the bladder.
How are urinary tract infections diagnosed?
If you are concerned about a UTI, then you should contact your doctor. Frequently,
you can be diagnosed and treated without going to your doctor's office. Ways to
diagnose a UTI are via urinalysis and/or urine culture. A sample of urine is examined
under a microscope by looking for indications of infection bacteria or white blood
cells in the urine. Your physician may also take a urine culture if needed. If you ever
see blood in your urine, you should contact your doctor right away. Blood in the urine
may be caused by a UTI but it may also be from a different problem in the urinary
tract.
If you are having fevers and symptoms of a UTI, or persistent symptoms despite
therapy, then medical attention is advised. You may need further tests, such as
anultrasound or CT scan, to assess the urinary tract.
How are urinary tract infections treated?

A simple UTI can be treated with a short course of oral antibiotics. A three-day course
of antibiotics will usually treat most uncomplicated UTIs. However, some infections
may need to be treated for several weeks. Depending on the type of antibiotic used,
you may take a single dose of medication a day or up to four daily doses. A few doses
of medication may relieve you of the pain or urge to urinate frequently but you should
still complete the full course of medication prescribed for you even if all symptoms
have been relieved. Unless UTIs are fully treated, they can frequently return. You
should also remember to drink plenty of liquids, especially around the time of a UTI.
If the UTI is a complicated UTI, then a longer period of antibiotics is given and
usually is started intravenously in the hospital. After a short period of intravenous
antibiotics, then the antibiotics are given by mouth for a period up to several weeks.
Kidney infections have usually been treated as a complicated UTI.
What can be expected after treatment for urinary tract infections?
Simple UTIs routinely improve with the three days of oral antibiotics and you do not
need a urine culture to prove that it is gone. If you have a complicated UTI, however,
you should have a urine culture to show that the UTI is gone. If your symptoms
continue even with medication, then you may need a longer course of medications, a
different drug or different delivery method (for example, if you are taking medication
by mouth, then you may need it intravenously).
Frequently asked questions:
Will a UTI cause damage to the kidneys?
If the UTI is treated early, then there will probably be no lasting influence on your
urinary tract. Recurrent or unrecognized UTIs could cause damage if not remedied
expeditiously.
Why do I get UTIs?
Most UTIs are solitary events that, if treated, will not recur. Some patients have
anatomical and genetic predispositions that tend to make one person more susceptible
than another.
How do I avoid UTIs?
There are some simple steps women can use to avoid UTIs. Women who have gone
through menopause and have lost the normal estrogen output have a change in the
lining of the vagina. Estrogen replacement under the guidance of

a gynecologist and/or primary care doctor can be a simple solution. Since certain
patients cannot take estrogen replacement, you should contact your doctor prior to
beginning any regimen.
Urination after sexual intercourse may also decrease the risk of UTI because it can
flush out any bacteria that were introduced during intercourse. Sometimes a dose of
antibiotics after intercourse can help prevent recurrence of UTIs.
Certain forms of birth control, such as spermicidal foam and diaphragms, are known
to increase the risk of UTIs in women who use these as their form of contraception.
You should also drink plenty of fluids to keep well hydrated.
You should not delay urinating and should not rush when urinating. Also, holding in
urine and not emptying your bladder completely can increase your risk of UTIs.
You should wipe from front to back to prevent bacteria around the anus from entering
the vagina or urethra.
When should I be concerned?
If you have symptoms of a UTI and are being treated without improvement in your
symptoms or you have symptoms of a UTI accompanied by nausea and vomiting, then
you should seek medical attention. If you ever see blood in your urine, you should
contact your doctor immediately.
What if I am pregnant?
If you are pregnant and have symptoms of a UTI, then you should contact your doctor
immediately. UTIs during pregnancy can put both mother and baby at risk if not
addressed quickly and properly.
If UTIs are recurring, can I get over them?
If you are having recurrent UTIs (three or more per year), then you should see your
doctor for possible further testing like a urinalysis. You may also need
anultrasound or CT scan to look for any abnormalities of the urinary tract. If you
continue to have UTIs, you may benefit from a longer course of lowdose antibioticsor by taking an antibiotic after sexual intercourse. There are also
methods of self-testing that your urologist may help coordinate with you to institute
both diagnosis and treatment of UTIs at home.

Reviewed: January 2011

Last updated: March 2013
Urology A - Z

Adrenal Gland Disorders

Advanced Prostate Cancer
Ambiguous Genitalia
Angiography
Antegrade Pyelography

Bedwetting (Enuresis)
Benign Urethral Lesions
Benign Urethral Lesions in Children - Boys
Benign Urethral Lesions in Children - Girls
Biopsy
Bladder Augmentation
Bladder Cancer
Bladder Diverticulum
Bladder Exstrophy
Bladder Fistula
Bladder Prolapse (Cystocele)

 Bladder Trauma

Cancer of the Ureter and Renal Pelvis

Causes and Management of Prostatitis
Causes and Natural History of Bladder Control Problems
Causes, Natural History & Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer
Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer
Circumcision
Cloacal Exstrophy
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Continent Urinary Diversion
Contrast and Radionuclide Cystography
Cryoablation for Prostate Cancer
CT Scan
Cushing's Syndrome
Cystometry
Cystoscopy

Diagnosis of BPH

Ectopic Kidneys

 Ectopic Ureter
Epididymitis and Orchitis
Epispadias
Extrinsic Obstruction of the Ureter
F

no topics for this letter

G

no topics for this letter

Hematuria
Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer
Hydroceles and Inguinal Hernias
Hypogonadism
Hypospadias

Incontinence
Interstitial Cystitis
Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP)
J

no topics for this letter

 Kidney (renal) Abscess

Kidney (renal) Failure
Kidney (Renal) Nuclear Medicine Scan
Kidney (renal) Transplantation
Kidney (renal) Trauma
Kidney and Ureteral Stones
Kidney Cancer
Kidney Cancer in Children

Localized Prostate Cancer Treatment Options

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Male Infertility
Management of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
Management of Male Infertility
Managing Bladder Dysfunction with Products and Devices
Meatal Stenosis
Medical Management of BPH
Megaureter
Minimally Invasive Management of BPH
Minimally Invasive Management of Urinary Incontinence

Neonatal Testicular Torsion

Neurogenic Bladder
Non-Surgical Management of Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
Normal and Abnormal Sexual Differentiation

Overactive Bladder

Pelvic Floor Muscle ("Kegel") Exercises

Penile Augmentation
Penile Cancer
Penile Prostheses for Erectile Dysfunction
Penile Trauma
Peyronie's Disease
Pheochromocytoma
Premature Ejaculation (PE)
Primary Hyperaldosteronism (Conn's Syndrome)
Problems Urinating in Public (Paruresis)
Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer Testing
Pyelonephritis

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Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Radionuclide Cystogram
Renal Dysplasia and Cystic Disease
Renal Fusion (Horseshoe Kidney)
Renovascular Disease
Retrograde Pyelography
Retrograde Urethrogram
Rhabdomysarcoma

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sperm Retrieval
Spermatoceles
Surgical Management of BPH
Surgical Management of Erectile Dysfunction
Surgical Management of Prostate Cancer
Surgical Management of Stones
Surgical Management of Urinary Incontinence

 Testicular Cancer
Testicular Cancer in Children
Testicular Self Examination (TSE)
Testicular Torsion
Testicular Trauma

Ultrasound Imaging
Undescended Testis
Urachal Anomalies
Ureterocele
Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction
Urethral Cancer
Urethral Diverticulum
Urethral Stricture Disease
Urethral Trauma
Urinalysis
Urinary Diversion
Urinary Tract Infections in Adults
Urinary Tract Infections in Children
Urine Culture Sample
Urine Cytology

 Urodynamics
Uroflowmetry
Urologic Radiology

Vaginal Anomalies: Cloacal Anomalies

Vaginal Anomalies: Congenital Vaginal Obstruction
Vaginal Anomalies: Fusion and Duplication
Vaginal Anomalies: Urogenital Sinus
Vaginal Anomalies: Vaginal Agenesis
Varicoceles
Vasectomy
Vasectomy Reversal
Vesicoureteral Reflux
Voiding Cystourethrogram
W

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X-ray

Yeast Infections
Z

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Urinary Tract Infections in Adults Glossary
abdomen: Also referred to as the belly. It is the part of the body that
contains all of the internal structures between the chest and the pelvis.
abnormality: A variation from a normal structure or function of the
body.
antibiotic: Drug that kills bacteria or prevents them from multiplying.
anus: Opening at the end of the digestive tract where feces (stool) leave
the body. The final two inches of the rectum.
bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist independently
(free-living) or dependently upon another organism for life (parasite).
They can cause infection and are usually treated with antibiotics.
bladder: The bladder is a thick muscular balloon-shaped pouch in which
urine is stored before being discharged through the urethra.
bladder infection:Also known as cystitis. Urinary tract infection
involving the bladder. Typical symptoms include burning with urination,
frequency, urgency and wetting.
calcium: A mineral that the body needs for strong bones and teeth.
Calcium may form stones in the kidney.
catheter: A thin tube that is inserted through the urethra into the bladder
to allow urine to drain or for performance of a procedure or test, such as
insertion of a substance during a bladder X-ray.
condoms: Close-fitting rubber worn by a man over the penis during
sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy and/or spread of sexually
transmitted diseases.
CT scan: Also known as computerized tomography, computerized axial
tomography or CT scan. A diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a
combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce crosssectional images of the body. Shows detailed images of any part of the

body, including bones, muscles, fat and organs. CT scans are more
detailed than general X-rays.
culture: Biological material grown under special conditions.
cyst: An abnormal sac containing gas, fluid or a semisolid material.
Cysts may form in kidneys or other parts of the body.
cystitis : Inflammation of the bladder, causing pain and a burning feeling
in the pelvis or urethra.
cystitis: Also known as bladder infection. Urinary tract infection
involving the bladder, which causes inflammation of the bladder and
results in pain and a burning feeling in the pelvis or urethra.
diabetes: A medical disorder of increased blood sugar levels that can
cause bladder and kidney problems.
diagnosis: The process by which a doctor determines what disease or
condition a patient has by studying the patient's symptoms and medical
history, and analyzing any tests performed (e.g., blood tets, urine tests,
brain scans, etc.).
diaphragm: A curved muscular membrane that separates the abdomen
from the area around the lungs.
diverticula: Plural of diverticulum. A pouch or sac in the lining of the
mucous membrane of an organ.
estrogen: Female hormone produced by the ovaries.
frequency: The need to urinate more often than is normal.
gene: The basic unit capable of transmitting characteristics from one
generation to the next.
genetic: Relating to the origin of something.
gynecologist: A physician who specializes in treating female health.

 hormone: A natural chemical produced in one part of the body and

released into the blood to trigger or regulate particular functions of the
body. Antidiuretic hormone tells the kidneys to slow down urine
production.
infection: A condition resulting from the presence of bacteria or other
microorganisms.
intravenous: Also referred to as IV. Existing or occurring inside a vein.
intravenous antibiotics: Medicine inserted directly into the veins.
intravenously:Injected into the vein.
ions: Electrically charged atoms.
kidney: One of two bean-shaped organs that filter wastes from the blood
and discharge these waste products in urine. The kidneys are located on
either side at the level of the 12th ribs toward the back. The kidneys send
urine to the bladder through tubes called ureters.
kidney infection: Also called pyelonephritis. Urinary tract infection
involving the kidney. Typical symptoms include abdominal or back pain,
fever, malaise and nausea or vomiting.
kidneys: One of two bean-shaped organs that filter wastes from the
blood and discharge these waste products in urine. The kidneys are
located on either side at the level of the 12th ribs toward the back. The
kidneys send urine to the bladder through tubes called ureters.
liver: A large, vital organ that secretes bile, stores and filters blood, and
takes part in many metabolic functions, for example, the conversion of
sugars into glycogen. The liver is reddish-brown, multilobed, and in
humans is located in the upper right part of the abdominal cavity.
menopausal: Time in a woman's life when menstruation diminishes and
stops.
menopause: The time in a woman's life when menstrual periods
permanently stop.

 nephritis: Inflammation of the kidneys.

obstruction: something that obstructs, blocks, or closes up with an
obstacle
pelvic: Relating to, involving or located in or near the pelvis.
penis: The male organ used for urination and sex.
potassium: An alkali element.
pregnancy: The condition of being pregnant.
pyelonephritis: Also referred to as kidney infection usually caused by a
germ that has traveled up through the urethra, bladder and ureters from
outside the body. Typical symptoms include abdominal or back pain,
fever, malaise and nausea or vomiting.
rectal: Relating to, involving or in the rectum.
sperm: Also referred to as spermatozoa. Male germ cells (gametes or
reproductive cells) that are produced by the testicles and that are capable
of fertilizing the female partner's eggs. Cells resemble tadpoles if seen by
the naked eye.
spermicidal foam: A contraceptive method to kill sperm, the male
reproductive cells that are produced by the testicles.
stent: With regard to treating ureteral stones, a tube inserted through the
urethra and bladder and into the ureter. Stents are used to aid treatment in
various ways, such as preventing stone fragments from blocking the flow
of urine.
sterile: Incapable of becoming pregnant or inducing pregnancy.Can also
mean free from living germs or microorganisms.
symptomatic: Having to do with a symptom or symptoms that arise
from and accompany a particular disease or disorder and serves as an
indication of it.

 ultrasound: Also referred to as a sonogram. A technique that bounces

painless sound waves off organs to create an image of their structure to
detect abnormalities.
ureter: One of two tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the
bladder.
ureters: Pair of tubes that carry urine from each kidney to the bladder.
ureters: Tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.
urethra: A tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the
body. In males, the urethra serves as the channel through which semen is
ejaculated and it extends from the bladder to the tip of the penis. In
females, the urethra is much shorter than in males.
urge: Strong desire to urinate.
urinal: A portable device that is used as a receptacle for urine.
urinalysis: A test of a urine sample that can reveal many problems of the
urinary system and other body systems. The sample may be observed for
physical characteristics, chemistry, the presence of drugs or germs or
other signs of disease.
urinary: Relating to urine.
urinary tract: The system that takes wastes from the blood and carries
them out of the body in the form of urine. Passageway from the kidneys
to the ureters, bladder and urethra.
urinary tract infection: Also referred to as UTI. An illness caused by
harmful bacteria, viruses or yeast growing in the urinary tract.
urinate: To release urine from the bladder to the outside. Also referred
to as void.
urine: Liquid waste product filtered from the blood by the kidneys,
stored in the bladder and expelled from the body through the urethra by
the act of urinating (voiding). About 96 percent of which is water and the
rest waste products.

 urine culture: Sample of urine for diagnostic purposes.

urologist: A doctor who specializes in diseases of the male and female
urinary systems and the male reproductive system.Click here to learn
more about urologists. (Download the freeAcrobat reader.)
urology: Branch of medicine concerned with the urinary tract in males
and females and with the genital tract and reproductive system of males.
UTI: Also referred to as urinary tract infection. An illness caused by
harmful bacteria growing in the urinary tract.
vagina: The tube in a woman's body that runs beside the urethra and
connects the uterus (womb)to the outside of the body. Sometimes called
the birth canal. Sexual intercourse, the outflow of blood during
menstruation and the birth of a baby all take place through the vagina.
void: To urinate, empty the bladder.
Urinary Tract Infections in Adults Anatomical Drawings
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