[Urinary tract infections : What has been confirmed in therapy?]

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect approximately 150 million people worldwide per year, causing annual health costs of over three billion dollars just in the USA. Every second woman experiences at least one UTI in her lifetime, with every one in four experiencing recurrence. Uncomplicated infections like single or recurrent cystitis and pyelonephritis can be distinguished from complicated disease. UTIs in men can spread to the male glands, causing prostatitis and epididymitis. Antibiotic therapy is the standard procedure for UTIs. However, the extensive and sometimes irrational use of antibiotics for the treatment of infections has led to an increase in the incidence of multiresistant pathogens in recent years. Therefore, preventive nonantibiotic approaches are of great interest. This article provides an overview of the current management of urological infections as well as an outline of nonantibiotic preventive treatment modalities.