Many infectious-inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract were encountered. Every year in the world, these diseases are diagnosed in tens of millions of people. And quite often urinary tract infections develop repeatedly and become chronic.
This group of diseases is associated with the development of the inflammatory process in the urinary system, which is caused by infectious microorganisms. Most often, urinary tract infections are diagnosed in women, which is associated with the anatomical features of their genitourinary system.
Causes of Urinary Tract Infections
Infectious agents are most often:
- E. coli - its entry into the urethra can be caused by non-observance of personal hygiene;
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella - often provoke infections in childhood;
- mycoplasma and chlamydia, are predominantly transmitted during sexual intercourse and affect the urethra;
- streptococci.
In the kidneys, sterile urine is normally formed (without the presence of microorganisms).
The causative agent of infection first appears in the urethra, multiplies there, causing the development of urethritis. Then the pathogen rises to the bladder, causing inflammation of its mucosa (cystitis). If the disease does not receive adequate treatment at this stage, the infectious agent, moving along the ureters, is in the kidneys (pyelonephritis). This is the so-called upward pathway of urinary tract infection, which is the most common.
The provoking factors of the described infections are:
- respiratory diseases;
- supercooling;
- violation of urine outflow;
- reduction of the body's defenses.
Classification of urinary tract infections
By the nature of the leakage, there are: complicated and uncomplicated infections.
- Uncomplicated develop in the absence of structural changes in the urinary tract and kidneys and occur without concomitant diseases.
- Complicated - arise against the background of such diseases as urethra and ureter stricture, urolithiasis, diabetes mellitus, kidney anomalies, bladder catheterization, immunosuppressive therapy.
On the localization of the infection are divided into: infection of the lower (urethritis, cystitis) and upper urinary tract (pyelonephritis). Also allocated nosocomial and (arising in the hospital), community-acquired and catheter-associated infections.
Symptoms of urinary tract infections
Here are the main signs of infections that require treatment to a specialist:
- frequent urination;
- burning, aching, pain in the process of emptying the bladder;
- painful sensations in the suprapubic region, in the lower abdomen, in the lower back;
- purulent-mucous discharge from the urethra;
- increase in temperature and intoxication in the absence of colds;
- muddy urine, the presence of flakes of mucus, blood in it.
These infections are very painful, but despite this, they respond well to therapy.
Urinary tract infection in pregnancy
As the main causes leading to infections of this genus in pregnant women is the hormonal rearrangement of their body, reduced immunity and displacement of the urinary system caused by fetal growth in the uterus.
The treatment of such infections during the period of bearing of the child should be carried out without delay in order to prevent the development of their complications in the form of arterial hypertension, toxicosis, premature birth .
Prevention of urinary tract infections
Measures to prevent the occurrence of such infections are reduced to:
- timely sanation of foci of chronic infection (treatment of sinusitis, tonsillitis, cholecystitis, caries);
- prevention of hypothermia and overwork;
- observance of intimate hygiene;
- timely treatment of urinary system diseases;
- correction of reduced immunity.