How does pyelonephritis develop

Therefore, it is critical that children who have a UTI and fever, especially those under the age of 2, receive prompt medical care to prevent possible permanent kidney damage. Repeat acute kidney infections can ultimately lead to the need for a kidney transplant. In very rare cases, untreated pyelonephritis can cause death.

If a toilet trained child is having accidents during the day or night, it may be a sign of an infection. Acute kidney infections are typically caused by bacteria that has gotten into the urethra the opening where urine comes out and traveled up through the bladder and ureters the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.

Some medical conditions such as bladder dysfunction, bladder obstruction, neurogenic bladder or vesicoureteral reflux VUR along with conditions that require the use of catheters can also increase the chances of kidney infection and damage. If you suspect your child has a UTI, get them prompt medical treatment to help prevent the UTI from turning into a kidney infection.

There are also other types of bacteria that can cause it. The bacteria travel from your urethra the tube that carries urine out of your body up to your bladder and kidneys. Bacteria can also get into your kidneys from your bloodstream. In most people, kidney infection pyelonephritis clears up easily with treatment. But sometimes an infection can become serious and even life-threatening. Complications include the following. If you're pregnant and you develop a kidney infection, it can lead to complications for you and your baby.

These include your baby being born early and being born small. This is really important even if your infection is mild. If you keep getting kidney infections pyelonephritis or urinary tract infections UTIs , your doctor may sometimes prescribe antibiotics to help prevent them. How long you need to take them for will depend on your personal circumstances. Kidney infections usually develop as a result of a lower UTI. To help stop UTIs from developing you can try these self-help tips.

There has been some research into whether D-mannose a type of sugar and cranberry products such as cranberry juice or cranberry supplements can prevent UTIs. Pyelonephritis is the medical name given to a kidney infection. Kidney infections are often caused if you have an infection in your lower urinary tract and the bacteria travel up to your kidneys. Kidney infection symptoms may include pain in your back or side, feeling sick or being sick, and a fever and chills. Treatment of a kidney infection is usually with antibiotics prescribed by your doctor.

You may also need to pass urine pee more often, urgently and feel pain when you pee. For more information, see our section on Symptoms of a kidney infection above. Most kidney infections are caused when bacteria get into your urethra the tube that carries urine out of your body and travel up through your urinary tract to your kidneys. There are certain factors that make you more likely to get a kidney infection.

To find out more, see our section on causes of kidney infection above. To find out if you have a kidney infection, your GP will ask you to provide a urine pee sample. This will be tested to see if you have an infection. Sometimes, your GP may need to arrange for you to have more tests. For more information on this, see our section on diagnosis of kidney infection above.

These might include the following. Not finishing a course of antibiotics for kidney infection can also increase the chance of it coming back.

They can also prescribe some medicines to help. Some of the main ones are listed below. If you have an infection, getting treatment quickly can help to prevent any problems with your pregnancy. Yes, the bacteria can be resistant to some, but it not all antibiotics. Both urine and blood cultures are taken before starting medicine. These tests help the health care provider know which medicine would work best for your case. Women should wipe from the front to the back after having a bowel movement.

This cleaning will help move bacteria away from the urethra opening. Urinating after sex may help to flush out bacteria in the urethra. Some forms of contraception may help not including diaphragms or spermicidal foam. Urinary tract infections UTI during pregnancy are dangerous for both mother and baby.

These infections should be treated quickly. There are safe medicines to use during pregnancy to cure the infection. This web site has been optimized for user experience and security, therefore Internet Explorer IE is not a recommended browser. Thank you. What is Kidney Renal Infection - Pyelonephritis?

As a filter, the kidney controls many things to keep us healthy: Fluid balance Electrolyte levels e. Diagram of the Female Reproductive System Enlarge. Diagram of the Male Reproductive System Enlarge.

Symptoms or signs may include: Frequent, painful urination Back, side under the ribs , and groin pain Chills and high fever Nausea and vomiting Very young children younger than 2 years old may only have a high fever. Urine flow can be blocked by many things, including: kidney stones , tumors inside or outside the urinary tract and structural problems of the urinary tract. To diagnose the problem, your health care provider may use the following tests: A medical history.

You will be asked questions about your symptoms, when they began, and about your general health history. Physical exam. You will receive a general medical exam to collect blood and urine samples. The doctor will likely press your abdomen to check for pain or tenderness. A sample of your urine will be tested to look for signs of infection. High counts of white blood cells and bacteria mean that there is an infection. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version.

Overview Female urinary system Open pop-up dialog box Close. Female urinary system Your urinary system — which includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra — removes waste from your body through urine. Male urinary system Open pop-up dialog box Close. Male urinary system Your urinary system — which includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra — removes waste from your body through urine. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Pyelonephritis: Kidney infection.

Accessed May 4, Kidney infection.