title: Recurrent urinary tract infections in females.
abstract: Uncomplicated Urinary tract infections are common in adult women across the entire age spectrum, with mean annual incidence of 15% and 10% in those aged 15-39 and 40-79 years, respectively. Urinary tract infection (UTI), with its diverse clinical syndromes and affected host groups, remains one of the most common but widejly misunderstood and challenging infectious diseases encountered in clinical practice. Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) present a significant problem for women and a challenge for the doctors who care for them. The diagnosis of uncomplicated UTI can be achieved best by a thorough assessment of patient symptoms with or without the addition of a urine dipstick test. Treatment should be based on the most recent guidelines, taking into account resistance patterns in the local community. The patient who suffers from recurrent UTIs can be treated safely and effectively with continuous antibiotic prophylaxis, post-coital therapy, or self-initiated treatment. This review article covers the latest trends in the management of recurrent UTI among women. Further research is needed regarding rapid diagnosis of UTI, accurate presumptive identification of patients with resistant pathogens, and development of new antimicrobials for drug-resistant UTI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Raheela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mohsin
authors.forename: Khurram Mutahir
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy