Urinary tract infection in women

Abstract

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infections afflicting women. UTI often accompanies vaginal infections and is frequently caused by pathogens originating in the digestive tract. The paper discusses the prevalence of UTI in various patient populations, including postmenopausal, pregnant, diabetic, epileptic, and perioperative female patients. Current UTI treatment and prevention guidelines both for primary and recurring UTIs were reviewed. Antibiotic treatment duration should be minimized, with the exact dosage and time schedule depending on the type of infection. Asymptomatic bacteriuria does not always require antibiotic treatment, because their excessive use may lead to the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains. The role of non-antibiotic prophylaxis of recurrent infections involving immunomodulants (OM-89), probiotics, and behavioural interventions was underlined.

Keywords

• urinary tract infections
• menopause
• pregnancy
• prevention
• treatment.