Urinary tract infections are a very common problem among women. In the US, over 6 million women visit specialists with this type of complaint. Bladder infections, also called cystitis, are the most common. Other types of disorders include infection of the upper urinary tract – pyelonephritis, the presence of bacteria in the urine – bacteriuria, as well as the appearance of yeast in it – candiduria. The characteristic symptoms of a urinary tract infection include dysuria, frequent urges to urinate, discomfort in the lower abdominal area, accompanied by a feeling of bladder fullness. This type of clinical presentation is very characteristic of cystitis and generally suggests inflammation of the upper half of the urinary tract. Another type of symptom that suggests cystitis or an infection of the upper half of the urinary tract is the presence of fever, chills and some discomfort. In some cases, a different amount of blood can be detected in the urine – hematuria. The diagnosis of this type of disease is made on the basis of a dipstick, urinalysis and microbiological cultures. Routine diagnosis of cystitis does not include the use of imaging methods. In most cases, a positive leukocyte esterase test is sufficient to establish a diagnosis. However, there are women with characteristic complaints whose test is negative. Pyuria – the presence of pus in the urine, is most accurately measured by counting leukocytes in fresh urine using a hemocytometer chamber. Having more than 10 white blood cells (WBC)/mL is not normal. Half of women affected by cystitis have microscopic hematuria present. Low-grade proteinuria is also common, and 25% of them test positive for the highly UTI-specific nitrite test. Microbiological culture research remains the best method for diagnosing urinary tract infections. Indications for proceeding to this type of examination may be the intake of immunosuppressive medications and overall decreased activity of the immune system, a recent intervention that includes the use of various instruments contacting the urinary tract. The intake of various antibiotics is also relevant, advanced age, as well as the repeated involvement of a corresponding type of urinary tract infection. References: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/233101-overview