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Introduction

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections encountered in clinical practice and range from uncomplicated bladder infections to life-threatening infections involving the upper urinary tract (eg, pyelonephritis).  This article focuses on UTIs in nonpregnant patients.

Classification and definitions

UTIs can be categorized anatomically as either cystitis (infection of the bladder/lower urinary tract) or pyelonephritis (infection of the kidney/upper urinary tract).

However, it is more relevant to categorize UTIs clinically based on complexity.

  • Acute simple cystitis:  Infection is confined to the bladder.
  • Acute complicated UTI:  Infection has likely spread beyond the bladder (eg, upper urinary tract, bloodstream), suggested by any of the following:
    • Temperature >37.7 C (>99.9 F)
    • Systemic symptoms (eg, chills, malaise)
    • Flank pain/costovertebral angle (CVA) tenderness (suggesting pyelonephritis)

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