Urethritis Vs Uti

Urinary tract infection or UTI is an infection that involves the urinary system. Many different microbes cause it such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. E. Coli is responsible for most UTI in women especially younger women. On the other hand, Staph spp. is common in younger women as well, but not as prevalent as E. Coli.
It is very common for UTIs to affect the bladder or the urethra. Due to the location of the infection, a person can experience either cystitis, urethritis, or pyelonephritis. Cystitis is an infection of the bladder. Escherichia coli commonly causes this type of infection. It is important to note that with cystitis, all women are at a higher risk than men due to the anatomy. This is because the urethra, anus, and the urethral opening to the bladder has a shortened length than men which makes it easier for bacteria to travel between the places. In comparison, urethritis or the infection of the urethra is caused by gastrointestinal bacteria that has spread from the anus to the urethra. Other than GI bacteria, urethritis can also be caused by sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and herpes. Urethritis is also more common in women because of the shortened distance between the anus and the urethra. Compared to urethritis and cystitis, …show more content…
For uncomplicated UTI, the first line agents include trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim) dosed at 160/800 mg twice a day for three days or nitrofurantoin monohydrate macrocrystals (Macrobid) dosed at 100 mg twice a day for five days. For complicated lower tract infections, quinolones are preferred with a duration of seven – ten days. To treat pyelonephritis the first line agents, include ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin with a range of dose starting from 500 mg to 1000 mg. These drugs are also available orally or intravenously. Depending on the severity and if the patient is admitted to the emergency room, IV could be

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