How is a urinary tract infection?

Urinary tract infections are usually so-called ascending or ascending infections. The agents arrive from around the urethral opening, from the gut or from the vagina into the urethra and migrate upward to the bladder. In severe infections, they can penetrate the bladder through the ureters into the next area of ​​the renal pelvis.


Bacteria adhere and proliferate on
The invading bacteria adhere to and multiply. The pathogens cause in their cell wall components of a purulent inflammation. Partial access to the same pathogen also return nutrients, such as human epithelial cells, where they accumulate. Then there is a competition which is also harmful for the organism. Other bacteria such as Proteus species produce the enzyme urease. This enzyme leads to an alkalinization of urine, the urine is less acidic. Through this mechanism, the stone formation is promoted. At the same time, the alkaline environment favors the colonization of bacteria. An acidic environment, it makes a bacterial infection.


Most pathogens penetrate from outside into the urethra
Basically there are three different routes of infection:

    Up to 90 percent of all known bacterial urinary tract infections are rising or ascending infections. It germs that enter the urethra and then ascend through the urethra into the bladder, ureters and possibly up into the kidney to.
    When the blood-borne infections, the bacteria enter the bloodstream into the urinary tract. This form is very rare.
    More important are the direct infection, resulting from the direct contact of infectious foci by the peritoneum or from the intestine. An example is the diverticulitis, in which inflamed intestinal evaginations (diverticula). Through direct contact with this bowel diverticulum eg the ureter, infection can be transmitted. In women, infection can lead to the sex organs, such as a tubal inflammation that leads to a direct infection.


Several factors contribute to the development of urinary tract infections
There are a variety of circumstances that favor infection in the urinary tract. These include certain diseases, as well as genetic factors or medical interventions. Favoring effect:

    Diabetes mellitus
    Urinary disturbances from hydrofluoric as blockages, closures or relocations in the urogenital system, inflammatory strictures of the urethra
    Prostate enlargement (BPH) and prostate tumors, Pimos (narrowing of the penile foreskin)
    Stone disease (urolithiasis)
    Pregnancy
    Prevention with gels and pessaries or diaphragms
    Manipulation by medical instruments, such as cystoscopy or catheterization
    weakened immune system or immune diseases
    the immune debilitating diseases
    Metabolic diseases such as gout
    anatomical abnormalities, often in male infants
    Genetic factors
    inadequate fluid intake or decreased urine output

The list of these factors shows why women (pregnancy prevention) are much more common urinary tract infections than men.