[Urinary tract infections]

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are amongst the most frequent bacterial infections and therefore responsible for a great amount of antibiotic administration. UTI may present as benign, uncomplicated cystitis or severe, life-threatening urosepsis. Due to the heterogeneity of UTI the European Section of Infections in Urology (ESIU) has introduced a phenotypical classification, based upon the clinical presentation, the risk factors and the antibiotic susceptibility of the causative pathogens. Antibiotic treatment of the UTI varies accordingly. In uncomplicated cystitis antibiotics with low potential for collateral damage are recommended, which are mainly indicated for these infections. In uncomplicated pyelonephritis fluoroquinolones and 3rd generation cephalosporines are recommended. Antibiotic treatment regimens of complicated UTI depend very much on the antibiotic susceptibility according to regional resistance statistics. In urosepsis an early diagnosis and therapy is mandatory. In this regard a procalcitonin level > 0.25 µg/l has a good sensitivity and acceptable specificity in predicting bacteremia. Apart from the early antibiotic therapy successful decompression of the obstructed urinary tract is a predictor of survival. In children UTI are also amongst the most important bacterial infections, although symptoms are frequently not characteristic. The correct sampling of urine for microbiological investigations is critical. Due to the increasing fluoroquinolone resistance, infectious complications after transrectal prostate biopsy are becoming more frequent. Strategies to decrease complications encompass, amongst others, microbiological screening of the faecal flora for fluoroquinolone resistance, administration of alternative antibiotics for prophylaxis and alternative techniques for biopsy, such as perineal prostate biopsy.