Urinary tract infections (UTI) are frequent infections in the outpatient and hospital setting. With respect to treatment options, UTI can generally be stratified into uncomplicated and complicated / nosocomial infections. Uncomplicated UTI are represented by the acute uncomplicated cystitis and the uncomplicated pyelonephritis. They are mainly caused by E. coli. There are, however, also increasing resistance rates found in uncomplicated UTI, e. g., against aminopenicillins, cotrimoxazole and increasingly also fluoroquinolones. This development has called for a new evaluation of the treatment recommendations in uncomplicated UTI. As an empirical therapy for uncomplicated cystitis fosfomycin trometamol, nitrofurantoin or pivmecillinam are recommended as first-line agents. As the oral first line therapy for uncomplicated pyelonephritis fluroquinolones in high dosages are recommended. The frequent asymptomatic bacteriuria does not need to be treated, with only a few exceptions. Due to the increasing antibiotic resistance and the emergence of multiresistant uropathogens, empirical antibiotic treatment becomes more difficult. Therefore the results of susceptibility testing should be awaited whenever possible.
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