Urinary tract infections.

Urinary tract infection in women has its origin, predominantly, via ascending bacteria from the periurethral microflora. Asymptomatic bacteriuria, except for the pregnant patient, need not be treated. E. coli is the most common bacterium to cause UTIs, and is usually susceptible to oral antibiotics. Patients who are hospitalized with an indwelling Foley catheter or who have undergone instrumentation, tend to be infected with a bacterium other than E. coli. Patients with uncomplicated cystitis can effectively be treated with an oral antibiotic (Table 1) for 3 days. Patients who do not respond to empiric therapy have a recurrence within 2 weeks of treatment, or who have a recurrence within the first week after treatment, should have a pretreatment.