Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

What is a UTI?
The urinary tract carries urine out of the body, which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when bacteria enter the tract. Ureters, or small tubes, carry urine from kidneys into the bladder, which stores the urine. Urine comes out of the body from the bladder through a tube, called the urethra. Both men and women can have UTI at any age, regardless of sexual activity or history.

How common are UTI?
UTIs are very common.  For people under the age of 60, UTIs are fifty times more common in women than men.  Almost half of all women will have at least one UTI in her lifetime.  Many women have several infections throughout their lives.  However, after 60, both men and women have a similar tendency to get UTIs.  

What are the symptoms?
Although most UTIs are not serious, they are painful and cause discomfort. The most common symptoms for both men and women are:

• Burning sensation when you urinate
• Feeling like you need to urinate more often than usual
• Feeling the urge to urinate but not being able to
• Leaking a little urine
• Urine smells bad
• Back pain
• Cloudy, dark or bloody urine
• Pain or discomfort in the lower abdominal area (just above the pubic bone)

What causes UTI?
Most UTI are caused by one type of bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli), which normally lives in the colon. If the bacteria are transferred from the anal area to the opening of the urethra, it can result in an infection. Women tend to get UTIs more often than men, because their urethras are much shorter. Bacteria normally present in the anus can easily travel the shorter distance up through the urinary tract.

In men, several factors can lead to a UTI: abnormalities of the urinary tract, such as kidney stones or an enlarged prostate, a catheter or tube placed in the bladder, or having diabetes or any disease that suppresses the immune system. In women, UTIs can be caused by having sexual intercourse, waiting too long to urinate, pregnancy, after menopause, having diabetes. Also, women with a history of urinary tract infections or bladder infections as a child are more likely to have UTIs in the future.

Can UTI be transmitted to another person?
UTIs cannot be transmitted to another person.

Can UTI cause problems with fertility or pregnancy?
There is no known connection between UTIs and fertility. However, UTIs during pregnancy increase a woman's risk for preterm delivery (less than 37 weeks) and for baby with low birth weight. If you are pregnant and have UTI symptoms, it is important to seek treatment right away.

What test and treatment is available for UTI?
A license health care provider can determine if you have a UTI by testing your urine for excess bacteria. UTI are treated with antibiotics.