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Bladder infections are a serious health problem affecting millions of people each year. Normal ur ine is sterile. It contains fluids, salts, and waste products, but it is free of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. An infection occurs when microorganisms, usually bacteria from the digestive tract, cling to the opening of the urethra and begin to multiply. Most infections arise from one type of bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli), which normally lives in the colon.
Bladder infections are more common in people that use a catheter, the elderly, and people with diabetes. Women are significantly more likely to have bladder infections, and the risk of an infection increases with age. Of people that have bladder infections, approximately 80% will see a reoccurence, or frequent reocurrences.
Bladder infections are treated through a variety of antibiotics and medications designed to provide relief to the symptoms.