Urinary tract infections: epidemiology, mechanisms of infection and treatment options

Nat Rev Microbiol. 2015 May;13(5):269-84. doi: 10.1038/nrmicro3432. Epub 2015 Apr 8.

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a severe public health problem and are caused by a range of pathogens, but most commonly by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. High recurrence rates and increasing antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens threaten to greatly increase the economic burden of these infections. In this Review, we discuss how basic science studies are elucidating the molecular details of the crosstalk that occurs at the host-pathogen interface, as well as the consequences of these interactions for the pathophysiology of UTIs. We also describe current efforts to translate this knowledge into new clinical treatments for UTIs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacterial Infections / drug therapy*
  • Bacterial Infections / economics
  • Bacterial Infections / epidemiology*
  • Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Risk Factors
  • Urinary Tract Infections / drug therapy*
  • Urinary Tract Infections / economics
  • Urinary Tract Infections / epidemiology*
  • Urinary Tract Infections / microbiology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents