What are UTI’s?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are bacterial infections that affect the urinary tract. They lead to pain during urination and an overall discomfort caused by the frequent feeling or need to urinate. Nowadays, chronic cystitis in women is frequent and difficult to treat.

 

Epidemiology

Women are significantly more likely to experience UTIs than men. Almost half of all women will experience a UTI during their lifetime. Some women suffer with reoccurring urinary tract infections that severely degrade their quality of life. In the USA UTIs account for nearly 7 million doctors’ visits and 1 million emergency department visits, resulting in 100,000 hospitalizations.

  • 2nd most common form of infection
  • 50% of women will experience one UTI during their lifetime
  • 80% of infections due to Escherichia coli

Classification

A UTI is classed as recurrent if occurrence happens ≥ 4 times per year.

Different kinds of UTIs exist depending on what area is infected:

  1. Bacteria travels to the urethra, and if multiplication occurs causes urethritis.
  2. If bacteria moves to the bladder and multiplies, a bladder infection, called cystitis occurs
  3. If the infection is not treated promptly, bacteria may travel up the ureters and infect the kidneys, called pyelonephritis.

All 3 are classified as diseases in the WHO-International Classification of Diseases