Sexual Health | Bacterial STIs and related conditions | Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary Tract Infections
Session Overview
Description
This session covers the investigation and management of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in men and women at a level suitable for primary care onwards. Management of recurrent UTIs is also discussed.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• List the classification of UTIs
• Recognise the symptoms and signs of UTIs
• Describe the role and interpretation of urine culture results
• Select appropriate treatment for UTIs and explain the rationale behind it
• Decide which patients need further investigations
• Outline management options for patients with recurrent UTIs

UTI is the inflammatory response of urothelium to micro-organism invasion (commonly bacterial).

UTIs are responsible for over 7 million physician visits in the USA each year. Indeed, approximately 15% of all community prescribed antibiotics in the USA are for UTIs. In Europe and the UK, rates of UTIs are thought to be similar. The rate of admissions for UTI in the UK has doubled from 2001 to 2010.

UTIs are responsible for 100 000 hospital admissions annually in the US and nosocomial UTIs accounts for at least 40% of all hospital acquired infections. Infections of the urinary tract encompass a wide clinical spectrum ranging from mild self-limiting cystitis to severe, life threatening complicated pyelonephritis. UTIs are much more common in women, due to the shorter urethra, and are unusual in men under the age of 60 years.