Definitions, Classifications, and Antibiotics

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common of all bacterial infections. They are an important cause of morbidity and mortality with a spectrum of severity that ranges from mild self-limiting infection to life-threatening systemic disease. Although they are commonly curable with antibiotics, widespread use of antimicrobials has inevitably led to a massive increase in UTIs caused by drug-resistant organisms. This has made antibiotic choice for empirical and rational treatment increasingly difficult. Here, we discuss the microbiology of UTIs, including the organisms that cause them, the interplay between bacteria and host that causes disease, mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, and factors influencing the choice of antibiotic for treatment. Through further understanding of the biology of the bacterial pathogens that cause UTIs, we aim to promote more responsible antibiotic prescribing in order to slow the pandemic spread of multiresistant organisms.