UTIs Flashcards
Bacteriuria
Presence of bacteria in the urine
- not necessarily infectious
- can be asymptomatic
What are 7 mechanisms that normally maintain sterility of the urine?
- Adequate urine volume
- Free-flow from kidneys through urinary meatus
- Complete bladder emptying
- Normal acidity of urine
- Peristaltic activity of ureters
- Increased intra-vesicular pressure preventing reflux
- In males, antibacterial effect of zinc in prostatic fluid
What is the difference between an uncomplicated and a complicated UTI?
Uncomplicated UTIs: that occurs in a normal urinary tract.
Complicated UTIs: that occurs in a urinary tract with anatomical and/or physiological abnormalities.
What constitutes and upper vs a lower UTI?
Upper (pyelonephritis)
Lower (cystitis and urethritis)
What is an acute UTI?
one that develops with the sudden onset of severe symptoms
What is a chronic UTI?
when the symptoms persist over time (symptoms that don’t disappear within 24 to 48 hours after treatment begins; a urinary tract infection that lasts longer than two weeks).
What is a recurrent UTI?
when there are repetitive episodes (relapses or reinfections)
considered recurrent when at least two or more infections have occurred in a six-month period and/or three or more infections in a 12-month period
What is a relapse?
a recurrence of the bacteriuria with the same infecting micro-organism that was present before therapy was started. This is due to persistence of the organism in the urinary tract.
What is a reinfection?
a recurrence of the bacteriuria with a micro-organism different from the original infecting bacterium (new infection). Reinfection may also occur with the same micro-organism two weeks after treatment. Even though this can be mistaken as a relapse, due to the two-week gap between the first and second infection, this is considered a reinfection.
What is cystitis?
UTI assumed to be confined to the bladder
What are 3 main symptoms of cystitis?
Dysuria
Urinary frequency
Urinary urgency
What important differential diagnosis needs to be made for patients presenting with cystitis?
additional testing for STIs may be warranted
- like Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae
What is pyelonephritis?
More invasive upper UTI where inflammation of the kidney and renal pelvis is assumed to be present if patients have pain or tenderness involving the flank, together with other clinical or laboratory evidence of UTI
What are common symptoms of pyelonephritis?
Flank pain, flu like symptoms, headaches..
What is prostatitis?
inflammation / infection of the prostate gland
– may present as acute or chronic