Urinary infections
How to recognize and treat urinary tract infections?
Urinary tract infections are the most common bacterial infections in humans. Globally, they are the reason for about 8 million visits to the doctor each year. They can affect the upper urinary tract – kidneys and ureters or the lower urinary tract – bladder, urethra, prostate and testicles in men. They occur most often as cystitis-inflammation of the urinary bladder and urethritis-inflammation of the urinary canal, and less often as pyelonephritis-inflammation of the kidneys.
The largest number of infections is caused by the bacteria Escherichia coli, followed by Enterococcus faecalis, Klebisella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, groups of streptococci and staphylococci. In both sexes, urinary tract inflammation-urethritis can also be caused by sexually transmitted bacteria – Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, as well as the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis.
Urinary tract infection can develop in all age groups, although some are at increased risk such as diabetics, immobile patients, patients with difficulty emptying the bladder (enlarged prostate, weakened bladder detrusor muscle, narrowed urinary canal), congenital anomalies of the urotract, recent urinary instrumentation or surgery, the presence of a permanent urinary catheter, calculus of the urinary tract, immunocompromised patients, poor personal hygiene, misuse of antibiotics that disrupts the natural flora, promiscuity.
WHY ARE URINARY INFECTIONS MORE COMMON IN WOMEN?
The reason for this is the anatomy of women: the shorter urinary tract, as well as the proximity of the vagina and anal canal, facilitate and shorten the path of bacteria to the bladder, compared to men. Sexually active women have more frequent infections than inactive women. Contraceptive spermicides and diaphragms also increase the risk of infection.
In menopausal women, there is a drop in estrogen levels and changes in the mucosa of the urogenital tract, which makes them more susceptible to infection, as well as the lowering of the bladder and uterus over the years due to weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, after pregnancy, childbirth, obesity. For the same reasons, it is possible to have the inability to retain urine, that is, involuntary urination.
Urinary infections in special patient populations
Are you interested in this topic? Read another text about urinary tract infection in some special categories of patients, such as people with diabetes and the elderly, and find out what are the methods of prevention and treatment of these diseases.