Bacterial Infections Of Urinary Tract

Overview

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can affect different parts of your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection). Most UTIs can be easily treated with antibiotics.

Signs and Symptoms

Nausea, Vomiting, Upper back and side (flank) pain, Lower abdomen discomfort, Pelvic pressure, High fever, Shaking and chills, Frequent urination, Painful urination, Blood in urine, Burning with urination, Vagina or penile discharge

Common Causes

E. coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staph. Saprophyticus, Enterococcus spp., Group B streptococcus, Pseudomonas mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Saureus, Candida spp.

Risk Factors

Female, Older age, Younger age, Sexually active, Personal history of UTI, Recurrent UTI, Family history of UTI

Investigation Techniques

Urinalysis, MSU culture, Imaging with CT scan, Imaging with ultrasound, X- ray KUB (to rule out stones), Cyctoscopy, MRI (for patients with iodine contrast allergies), Dimercaptosuccinic acid scan (DMSA)

Treatment and Prevention

Upper Urinary tract infection – Uncomplicated (trimethoprim/nitrofurantoin for 3 days if female and 7 days if male). Complicated (trimethoprim/nitrofurantoin for 5-10 days), Lower urinary tract infection (complicated) - Outpatient (ciprofloxacin for 7 days/co-amoxiclav for 14 days). In patient ( IV co amoxiclav/gentamicin for 7 days)