Overview of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

Bacterial infections of the lower urinary tract—usually the bladder—are very common, especially among young, sexually active women. Young women also often get bacterial kidney infections, but less commonly than bladder infections. Escherichia coli is the most common bacteria to cause a UTI. Among people between the ages of 20 and 50, bacterial UTIs are about 50 times more common among women than men. In men, the urethra is longer, so it is more difficult for bacteria to ascend far enough to cause an infection. In men between the ages of about 20 to 50, most UTIs are urethritis Stones in the Urinary Tract Stones (calculi) are hard masses that form in the urinary tract and may cause pain, bleeding, or an infection or block of the flow of urine. Tiny stones may cause no symptoms, but larger stones... read more or prostatitis. Prostatitis Prostatitis is pain and swelling, inflammation, or both of the prostate gland. The cause is sometimes a bacterial infection. Pain can occur in the area between the scrotum and anus or in the... read more In people older than 50, UTIs become more common among both men and women, with less difference between the sexes.

The herpes simplex virus Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Infections Herpes simplex virus infection causes recurring episodes of small, painful, fluid-filled blisters on the skin, mouth, lips (cold sores), eyes, or genitals. This very contagious viral infection... read more may infect the urethra, making urination painful and emptying of the bladder difficult. Other viral UTIs, such as bladder and kidney infections, do not usually develop unless a person's immune system is impaired (for example, by cancer, HIV/AIDS, or use of a drug that suppresses the immune system).

Certain fungi Overview of Fungal Infections Fungi are neither plants nor animals. They were once thought to be plants but are now classified as their own kingdom. Some fungi cause infections in people. Because fungal spores are often... read more , or yeasts, can infect the urinary tract. This type of infection is often called a yeast infection (yeasts can also cause inflammation of the vagina [vaginitis]). The fungus Candida is the organism most likely to cause urinary tract yeast infections (candidiasis Candidiasis Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by several species of the yeast Candida, especially Candida albicans. The most common type of candidiasis is a superficial infection of... read more ). Candida frequently infects people who have an impaired immune system or a bladder catheter in place. Fungi and bacteria may infect the kidneys at the same time.

A number of parasites Overview of Parasitic Infections A parasite is an organism that lives on or inside another organism (the host) and benefits (for example, by getting nutrients) from the host at the host's expense. Although this definition actually... read more , including certain types of worms, can infect the urinary tract.

Trichomoniasis, Trichomoniasis Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection of the vagina or urethra that is caused by the protozoa Trichomonas vaginalis and that causes vaginal irritation and discharge and sometimes... read more caused by a type of microscopic parasite, is a sexually transmitted infection that can cause a copious greenish yellow, frothy discharge from the vagina in women. Occasionally, the bladder or urethra becomes infected. Trichomoniasis can infect the urethra in men. It usually causes no symptoms in men.

Schistosomiasis, Schistosomiasis Schistosomiasis is infection caused by certain flatworms (flukes), called schistosomes. People acquire schistosomiasis by swimming or bathing in fresh water that is contaminated with the flukes... read more an infection caused by a type of worm called a fluke, can affect the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. This infection is a common cause of severe kidney failure among people who live in Africa, South America, and Asia. Persistent bladder schistosomiasis often causes blood in the urine or blockage of the ureters and may eventually result in bladder cancer.

Filariasis, Lymphatic Filariasis Lymphatic filariasis is infection of the lymphatic system caused by one of three species of roundworms. People have a fever, swollen lymph nodes, pain in the limbs and groin, and, if the infection... read more a threadworm infection, obstructs lymphatic vessels Overview of the Lymphatic System The lymphatic system is a vital part of the immune system. It includes organs such as the thymus, bone marrow, spleen, tonsils, appendix, and Peyer patches in the small intestine that produce... read more , causing lymph fluid to enter the urine (chyluria). Filariasis can cause enormous swelling of tissues (elephantiasis), which, in men, may involve the scrotum.