Risk
factors
Some people appear to be more likely than others to
develop UTIs. Up to one in five women will develop a bladder infection
over a lifetime. A key reason is their anatomy. Women have a shorter
urethra than men have, which cuts down on the distance bacteria must
travel to reach the bladder.
Women who are sexually active tend to have more UTIs.
Sexual intercourse can irritate the urethra, allowing germs to more
easily travel through the urethra into the bladder. Women who use
diaphragms for birth control also may be at higher risk. After menopause
UTIs may become more common because tissues of the vagina, urethra and
the base of the bladder become thinner and more fragile due to loss of
estrogen.
Other risk factors include:
-
Anything that impedes the flow of urine, such as an enlarged
prostate in men or a kidney stone
-
Diabetes and other chronic illnesses that may impair the immune
system
-
Medications that lower immunity, such as cortisone in higher doses
-
Prolonged use of tubes (catheters) in the bladder
A woman's immune system may play a role in her risk of
recurrent UTIs. Bacteria may be able to attach to cells in the urinary
tract more easily in women lacking certain immune factors or who have
poorly defined immune factors. More research is needed to determine the
exact factors involved and how such factors can be manipulated to
benefit women with frequent UTIs.
Screening and diagnosis
If you have symptoms of a urinary infection, contact your
doctor promptly. If your doctor suspects you have a UTI, he or she may
ask for a urine sample to determine if bacteria are present in your
urine. A urinalysis, sometimes followed by a urine culture, can reveal
whether you have an infection. Although no simple test can differentiate
between an upper and lower urinary tract infection, the presence of
fever and flank pain indicate that the infection likely involves your
kidneys.
Complications
When treated promptly and properly, UTIs rarely lead to
complications. But left untreated, a urinary tract infection can become
something more serious than a set of uncomfortable symptoms.
Untreated UTIs can lead to acute or chronic
pyelonephritis, which could permanently damage your kidneys. Young
children and older adults are at the greatest risk of kidney damage due
to UTIs because their symptoms are often overlooked or mistaken for
other conditions. Women who have UTIs while pregnant may also have an
increased risk of delivering low birth weight or premature infants.
