Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections

Book
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan.
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Excerpt

An uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection of the bladder and associated structures. Patients with uncomplicated UTIs have no structural abnormality of the urinary tract and no comorbidities such as diabetes, an immunocompromised state, recent urologic surgery, or pregnancy. An uncomplicated UTI is also known as cystitis or a lower tract UTI.

Bacteriuria or pyuria alone without symptoms does not constitute a UTI. Typical UTI symptoms include urinary frequency, urgency, suprapubic discomfort, and dysuria. While very common in women, UTIs are uncommon in circumcised males. When UTIs occur in circumcised males, by definition, they are generally considered complicated UTIs.

Many uncomplicated UTIs will resolve spontaneously without treatment, but patients often seek therapy for symptom relief. Therapy aims to prevent infection from spreading to the kidneys or progressing into an upper tract disorder such as pyelonephritis, which can destroy delicate structures in the nephrons and eventually lead to hypertension.

The diagnosis of a UTI is made from the clinical history and urinalysis with confirmation by a urine culture. Proper urine sample collection is essential for adequate evaluation and culture.

Complicated urinary tract infections and recurrent UTIs are covered in separate articles. See the companion StatPearls reference articles on "Complicated Urinary Tract Infections" and "Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections."

Publication types

  • Study Guide