UTIs are common infections that happen when bacteria, often from the skin or rectum, enter the urethra, and infect the urinary tract. The infections can affect several parts of the urinary tract, but the most common type is a bladder infection (cystitis). Kidney infection (pyelonephritis) is another type of UTI.
What are the main causes of UTI?
The following factors can increase the likelihood of developing a UTI:
- sexual intercourse, especially if more frequent, intense, and with multiple or new partners.
- diabetes.
- poor personal hygiene.
- problems emptying the bladder completely.
- having a urinary catheter.
- bowel incontinence.
- blocked flow of urine.
- kidney stones.
Where do you get a UTI from?
UTIs occur when the urinary tract becomes infected, usually by bacteria. In most cases, bacteria from the gut enter the urinary tract through the urethra. This may occur when wiping your bottom or having sex, for example, but often it's not clear why it happens.
