Urinary tract infection(UTI) is
an infection of urinary tract which consist of kidney(a pair), ureter (a pair),
bladder, and urether. The infection may be bacteria, fungi or viral in nature.
Certain practitioner tend to divide UTI into categories depending on the part
i.e. bladder(cystitis), kidney(pyelonephritis)
and urethra(urethritis). The commonest type being cystitis i.e. bladder
infection.
The
commonest cause of UTI are bacteria in nature and the commonest organism
implicated is Eschreichia coli which
is a bacterium. The causative organism usually enter through the urethra and
ascend to other part of the urinary tract.
Even though there are causative organisms
implicated in the cause of UTI, there are risk factors that can increase the
chance of developing UTI.
Such risk factors include
ü having diabetes mellitus
ü advanced age
ü Frequent sexual activity, in fact in young sexually active women,
the higher the frequency of sexual intercourse the higher the risk of cystitis
(bladder infection). This has made entity like “honeymoon cystitis” to appear
in medical literature. This was meant to connote the relationship between
frequent sexual intercourse during early marriage and frequent UTI.
ü Premenopausal female are more predisposed than men.
ü Certain hospital procedure like urinary catherization
ü Pregnancy
ü There are others are like kidney stones, women who use diaphragram,
HIV infection etc.
Symptoms in adults may be slightly
different from children especially very little children. Symptoms in adults
include burning sensation during urinating, frequency in urination, abdominal
flank pain, cloudy or bloody urine with
foul smell, fever and strong sensation to urinate after the bladder have been emptied.
In
children symptoms varies widely depending on the age. Younger children may have urge to vomit or outrightly
vomit, diarrhea and poor appetite, fever(or low body temperature) and crying during
urinating.
Other children may have abdominal pain and
some adult like symptoms. In essence symptoms are not very diagnostically
helpful unlike in adults.Especially very small ones, because the symptoms they
have are not specific.
Manifestation of symptoms varies in term of
severity some individual would not show any symptom others mild while others
may be moderate or severe.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is not a
Sexual Transmitted Infection( STI) in a strict sense. Certain symptoms of UTI
are very similar to STI. So also certain organism implicated in STI can cause
UTI e.g. trichomoninias and candidiasis.
To diagnose UTI, the medical history of the
patient is very important in making headway, so also physical examination. Even
before laboratory results comes out a presumptive treatment can be started out.
The most important investigation is the analysis of the patient’s urine.
Other test done like white cell count plus
differential and advanced X-ray like retrograde urethrogram and intravenous
pyelogram would help to ascertain the extent of the disease.
Treatment of UTI may be as an out-patient
or as an in-patient depending on how sick the patient is. All cases would be
treated with oral or intravenous antibiotics. The antibiotics recommended by a
physician is very likely to be effective to effect a cure.
There is also possibility of recovery
without treatment in uncomplicated cases , however this is not to mean
treatment should not be seeked in advent of suspected UTI.
Note your physician may institute a more
aggressive treatment in case of pyelonephritis relative to cystitis or
urethritis.
It is necessary antibiotic course should be
completed even when symptoms have
disappear in you. This is necessary to avoid development of resistance to the
antibiotics by offending organism.
A prompt and well treated UTI is not likely
to lead to UTI. However UTI may lead to certain complication especially when
adequate and quick medical attention is not given. These include life
threatening blood infection (sepsis), kidney damage and premature delivery etc.
Other recommendations that may be necessary
and may help include
- Swiping
from front to back after using the bathroom especially female.
- Take a
pee before and after sexual intercourse
- Use
sanitary pad rather than tampon and changing such after using the
bathroom.
- Wear
absorptive underwear e.g. those
made of cotton may help.
- Reduce
caffeine beverage and alcohol
- Retract
foreskin of the non-circumscribe male before urinating may be helpful.
- Physician
may prescribe oestrogen vaginal
cream to postmenopausal women who may always have recurrent UTI
- Breastfeeding
reduce infection in infant, so breastfeeding would help guard infant
against UTI
- Cranberry
juice or capsules have been suggested to be useful, so also pineapple.
However the scientific evidence may not be conclusive on these.
The recommendation above would help
especially those individual that have recurrent or frequent UTI. UTI comes with
discomfort with varying degree to many patients and if left untreated can lead
to complications. It is advised you visit your physician when you perceive any
symptom.
©
HealthGUARD 2012
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