A urinary tract infection, or UTI, occurs when bacteria infect the urinary tract. This type of infection affects millions of people every year. UTIs frequently cause symptoms of burning with urination and a frequent urge to urinate. The urine may look cloudy, and if the infection reaches the kidneys, a fever may occur. While urinary tract infections cause discomfort and can be a serious health problem, they typically resolve with treatment.
Significance
The urinary system is made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Urine is typically sterile, which means that there is no bacteria present. Bacteria introduced to the urethra can infect first the urethra and then the bladder. This infection can spread to the ureters and kidneys and become more serious if it is not treated promptly. An infection that spreads to the kidneys can damage the kidneys permanently and is also at risk of spreading to the bloodstream and causing more serious and potentially life-threatening illness. For this reason, prompt treatment of a UTI is indicated.
Indications
Symptoms of a urinary tract infection include a burning sensation with urination, a frequent urge to urinate, an overall sense of fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and possibly a fever. When a patient presents with these symptoms, medical personnel perform tests to determine whether there is a need for treatment. A sample of urine is collected and examined for white blood cells, red blood cells and bacteria. This urine is then sent for culture to determine the specific type of bacteria and thus help determine the specific treatment.
Treatment for Routine UTI
Urinary tract infections are treated with antibiotics that kill bacteria. In patients who do not have chronic medical problems or anatomic abnormalities of their urinary tract, several different types of antibiotics are commonly used. These include trimethoprim/sulfamethazole, amoxicillin, nitrofurantoin, ampicillin and fluoroquinolones. These antibiotics are able to kill the bacteria that typically cause UTIs. The length of treatment varies from two days to a week for routine urinary tract infections.
Treatment for Complicated UTI
Antibiotics are also used for complicated urinary tract infections. Complicated UTIs occur in patients with chronic medical problems, anatomic abnormalities or when atypical bacteria cause the infection. These patients often have an infection that is more difficult to treat and that is at higher risk of spreading to the kidneys. These infections may need to be treated with antibiotics that kill a broader range of bacteria or that are given intravenously. In these cases, patients sometimes have to be hospitalized to treat the urinary tract infection.
Prevention
Patients who get frequent UTIs can take certain measures to help prevent future infections. These include drinking enough water, urinating frequently, wiping from front to back to prevent bacteria from fecal matter from entering the urethra, urinating after sexual intercourse and avoiding the use of feminine hygiene sprays or bubble baths. Drinking cranberry juice may also help prevent urinary tract infections, reports the National Institutes of Health.
