A urinary tract infection refers to an infection in the urinary bladder. Your doctor may call this cystitis. An infection that spreads to the kidneys is called pyelonephritis. If the infection spreads to the prostate, it is known as prostitis. Urinary tract infections are extremely common in women between the ages of twenty and fifty. Read about other UTI risk factors. Urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria that are normally found in the digestive system, like: Escherichia coli Staphylococcus saprophyticus Proteus Klebsiella Enteroccus Some sexually transmitted organisms (like Chlamydia trachomatis and mycoplasma) can also contribute to bladder infections in … Continue reading →

In general, women are more prone to urinary tract infections than men are. This is because the urethra — the tube that runs from the bladder to the outside of the body — is much shorter in women than in men. Also, a woman’s urethra is closer to the anus, increasing the chance that bacteria from the colon can end up in the urinary tract. This doesn’t mean a man can’t have a urinary tract infection! A urinary tract infection in a man is often a sign of an underlying problem — the infection may have migrated from the prostate … Continue reading →