What are Complicated, uncomplicated, recurrent and relapsing UTIs?

Complicated and uncomplicated urinary tract infection

It is essential to differentiate between UTI occurring in patients with functionally normal urinary tracts and in those with abnormal tracts.

In functionally and anatomically normal urinary tracts with normal renal imaging persistent or recurrent infection rarely results in serious kidney damage. These are categorized as uncomplicated UTI.

Abnormal urinary tracts means tracts with stones, or associated diseases such as diabetes mellitus which themselves result in kidney damage, may be made worse with infection. These are categorized as complicated UTI.

UTI, particularly with Proteus, may help to form stone in the urinary tract. The blend of infection and obstruction results in severe, sometimes very fast, kidney destruction (obstructive pyonephrosis) and is a most important cause of Gram-negative septicemia.


Reinfection and relapsing urinary tract infection:

When UTI is recurrent it is essential to differentiate between relapse and re infection.

Relapse is diagnosed by recurrence of bacteria in the urine and the same organism is found within 7 days of completion of antibacterial treatment and denotes failure to wipe out infection. This occurs usually in conditions such as stones, scarred kidneys, polycystic disease or bacterial prostatitis.

Reinfection is when bacteriuria is not found following completion of the drug therapy for at least 14 days, usually longer period, followed by recurrence of infection either with the same or different bacteriae. This is not because of failure to eliminate infection, but is due to reinvasion of a vulnerable urinary tract with new organisms. More or less 80% of recurrent infections are the result of reinfection.

How UTI Occurs?
Complicated, Uncomplicated, recurrent and relapsing UTI
Symptoms and diagnosis of UTI
Treatment of UTI
Special types of UTI