Urinary Tract Infection: An Overview of the Infection and the Associated Risk Factors

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common bacterial infection known to affect the different parts of the urinary tract and the occurrence is found in both males and females. Despite the fact, that both the genders are susceptible to the infection, women are mostly vulnerable due to their anatomy and reproductive physiology. The infection is usually caused as a consequence of bacterial invasion of the urinary tract including the lower and the upper urinary tract. Among the bacterial species Escherichia coli account to 80% to 85% of the infection followed by Staphylococcus species that constitutes to 10% to 15%. In addition, bacterial species Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Proteus and Enterococcus species plays a minor role in conferring the infection. A variety of parameters are related to UTI which include age, parity, gravidity, pregnancy and association of diseases augment the condition of the infection. The current review attempts to highlight the various factors associated with UTI, prime perpetrators responsible for the infection, the emergence of growing resistance and possible remedy to overcome the infection. The review specially focuses on UTI among women during pregnancy.