Physician Specialist Glossary

What Are Urinary Tract Infections?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are bacterial infections in the body's urinary system -- the bladder, kidneys, ureters, and urethra. In the kidneys, the infection is called pyelonephritis; in the bladder, it is called cystitis. 

Urinary tract infections are common in women. Children with UTIs may show different symptoms than adults.

Am I at Risk for a Urinary Tract Infection?

People with a higher risk of developing urinary tract infections include:

• People with conditions that affect the bladder's nerve supply (including diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injuries)
• Older adults
• Pregnant women
• People who have any kind of obstruction blocking the passage of urine, such as a tumor, kidney stone, or an enlarged prostate
• Those who use a contraceptive diaphragm or spermicide for birth control
• People who use a catheter, a tube placed into the bladder to drain urine from the bladder into a bag outside of the body
• Men who engage in anal intercourse, who have HIV infection, or who have never been circumcised.

Most of the risk factors listed also increase the chance that a simple bladder infection may quickly become to a more serious kidney infection, or to sepsis (an infection that has entered the bloodstream). Pregnant women with kidney infections have a greater chance of delivering their babies prematurely.