Urinary tract infections can occur at any age in life. This common ailment prompts more than 10 million physician visits each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most urinary tract infections are easily cured; however, untreated urinary tract infections may cause permanent damage to the urinary system, leading to serious and potentially life-threatening consequences.
Pyelonephritis
The overwhelming majority of urinary tract infections occur due to bacterial contamination of the urethra—the exit tube from the bladder to the outside of the body. Bacteria travel up the urethra to the urinary bladder causing infection, also known as cystitis. Bacteria in the bladder typically provoke the classic symptoms of urinary tract infection for which most people seek medical care, including burning pain with urination and urinary frequency and urgency.
Without prompt treatment, bacterial contamination of the urine due to a bladder infection may lead to a more serious infection of the kidneys known as pyelonephritis. In a 2005 review article published in American Family Physician, Dr. Kalyanakrishnan Ramakrishnan and Dr. Dewey Scheid reported that approximately 250,000 Americans develop acute pyelonephritis each year, with women affected at roughly five times the rate of men.
Sepsis
Bacteria from a kidney infection can spread to the bloodstream, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. Such an infection can overwhelm the body causing sepsis, a systemic immune response that leads to inflammation and metabolic disturbances throughout the body. Possible signs and symptoms of sepsis include fever or low body temperature, low blood pressure, increased heart rate and an abnormally high or low white blood cell count. Sepsis can precipitate shock and organ failure, which may be life threatening. The mortality rate for sepsis ranges from 20 to 60 percent, reported Dr. Huan Chang in a 2010 article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Kidney Damage
Urinary tract infections can damage the kidneys, especially among children, reports the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Scarring may occur along with poor growth of the kidneys. Severe kidney damage can lead to the early development of high blood pressure, a major risk factor for chronic kidney disease.
Low Birth Weight and Preterm Labor
Pregnancy causes physical changes that increase the risk for urinary tract infection. Bacterial infection of the urinary tract during pregnancy poses risks for the mother and the unborn baby. In a review article published in American Family Physician, Dr. John Delzell Jr. and Dr. Michael LeFevre reported that bacterial contamination of the urinary tract during pregnancy may stunt the growth of the developing baby, resulting in low birth weight. Additionally, pregnant women with pyelonephritis may go into labor and deliver prematurely. Routine screening for urinary tract infections in pregnant women and prompt treatment will decrease the risk for these serious complications.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics: Ambulatory Care Visits to Physician Offices, Hospital Outpatient Departments, and Emergency Departments: United States, 2001–02
- "American Family Physician"; Diagnosis and Management of Acute Pyelonephritis in Adults; Kalyanakrishnan Ramakrishnan, M.D., Dewey C. Scheid, M.D., M.P.H.; March 2005
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Urinary Tract Infection Complications
- "Journal of the American Medical Association"; Sepsis; Huan J. Chang, M.D., M.P.H.; February 2010
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Urinary Tract Infections in Children
