Urinary Tract Infection(UTI)

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection caused by bacteria, fungi, or parasites in urinary tract.Your urinary tract is the system that makes urine and carries it out of your body. It includes your bladder and kidneys and the tubes that connect them. When bacteria get into this system, they can cause an infection.
Most urinary tract infections are bladder infections. A bladder infection usually is not serious if it is treated right away. If you do not take care of a bladder infection, it can spread to your kidneys. A kidney infection is serious and can cause permanent damage.

Causes of UTI:

Women are especially prone to UTIs for anatomical reasons. One factor is that a woman’s urethra is shorter, allowing bacteria quicker access to the bladder. Also, a woman’s urethral opening is near sources of bacteria from the anus and vagina.

Symptoms of UTI:

• Frequent and intense urge to urinate but usually small amount of urine
• Painful, burning feeling during urination
• Urine often looks cloudy and occasionally dark, if blood is present 
• Lower abdominal discomfort or feel bloated 
• Normally, UTIs do not cause fever if they are in the bladder. A fever may mean the infection has reached the kidneys 

Diagnosis of UTI:

• Ask about urinary symptoms 
• Order a test of a sample of urine for the presence of bacteria and white blood cells

For a person with recurrent UTI,  additional tests might be needed to determine if urinary tract is normal

• Kidney and bladder ultrasound

• Computerized tomography (CT) scan

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Treatment of UTI:

Most UTIs are treated with antibiotic. The choice of medication and length of treatment varies, depending on the patient’s history and the type of bacteria causing the infection.

Prevention of UTI:

• Drink a lot of water 
• Don't resist the urge to urinate for a long period of time
• Drink cranberry juice or take vitamin C to acidify urine
• Wipe from front to back after defecate
• Urinate and cleanse genital area after sexual intercourse
• Avoid fluids that irritate the bladder, such as alcohol, citrus juices, and caffeine
• Avoid scented douches

Source of reference:http://women.webmd.com ; www.about.com; www.wikipedia.com