Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are common infections. They more frequently affect people with short urethras, including cisgender women, transgender women who have had vaginoplasty (surgery to create a vagina), and transgender men who have not had phalloplasty (surgery to create a penis). Most often, a UTI is treated quickly and effectively with antibiotics. Unfortunately, not all UTIs are treated quickly and some aren’t even identified, particularly among people who have limited or no sensation below the waist or who are unable to speak for themselves.

Untreated urinary tract infections may spread to the kidney, causing more pain and illness. It can also cause sepsis. The term urosepsis describes sepsis caused by a UTI.

Sepsis, which was often called blood poisoning, is the body’s life-threatening response to infection. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment.

Suggested Citation:
Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections. 2023. https://www.sepsis.org/sepsisand/urinary-tract-infections/

Updated November 8, 2023.

 

More About UTIs

Definition

A UTI is an infection in the urinary tract, which runs from your kidneys, through the ureters, the urinary bladder and out through the urethra. The infections are very common and, in general, easy to treat.

A lower UTI, the more common type, affects the lower part of the urinary tract, the urethra and urinary bladder. Infection of the urethra is called urethritis and of the bladder is called cystitis. If the kidney is infected, called pyelonephritis, this is an upper UTI, as the kidney is the highest part of the urinary tract.

A UTI can be caused by bacteria (the most common type of infection) or a fungus.

Causes

The design of the human body makes it so it isn’t hard to get a bacterial UTI, because the infection comes from outside, through the urethra. Bacteria in the genital area can enter the urethra and the urinary tract, either through wiping after going to the bathroom, sexual activity, or unsanitary conditions. Once the bacteria have entered the urethra, the body tries to fight them off, but sometimes the bacteria multiply and cause an infection.

In the case of a fungal infection, usually the fungus gets to the urinary tract through the blood stream. Those who develop this type of infection are usually ill with a disease that has compromised their immune system, such as AIDS.

In general, people with shorter urethras get more UTIs than do cisgender men and transgender men who have had a phalloplasty, surgery to create a penis and lengthen the urethra. This increases with age. Statistics show that those with shorter urethras often get more than one over their life time. Almost 20% who have had one UTI will go on to have a second.

Symptoms

In the early stages of a lower UTI, you may feel:

  • Sudden and extreme urges to void (pass urine)
  • Frequent urges to void
  • Burning, irritation or pain as you void
  • A feeling of not emptying your bladder completely
  • A feeling of pressure in your abdomen or lower back
  • Thick or cloudy urine – it may contain blood

As the infection progresses, you may experience:

  • Fever
  • Pain in the lower flank, part of the back where your kidneys are located
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Fatigue

Seniors may not show any of these signs or they may be too subtle for someone else to notice. An added symptom among this age group is confusion. Often, if a senior’s behavior changes suddenly, they may have an undiagnosed UTI.

Diagnosis

Most UTIs can be identified by symptoms and confirmed through a urine test.

If your doctor suspects that the infection has spread, you may need additional tests. These could include blood tests, scans of your kidneys, or a pelvic ultrasound.

Treatment

When caught early, it is usually easy to treat a bacterial UTI effectively. After confirming that you do have an infection, you will likely get antibiotics to fight the particular bacteria causing the infection. You also should drink a lot of water, to help flush out the infection.

It is essential that you complete your full prescription, taking all the antibiotics you receive, even if you feel 100% again. Even with the symptoms gone, the bacteria will still be present for a while and you need those antibiotics to finish getting rid of them. If you do not finish your prescription, there is a very good chance that the bacteria left behind will grow again, causing another infection. And, they may become resistant to the antibiotics that you originally used.

To treat a fungal UTI, your doctor would prescribe anti-fungal medications.

Prevention

In many cases, we can prevent urinary tract infections.

  • When cisgender women and transgender women wipe themselves after having a bowel movement, they should wipe from front to back, reducing the chances of stool touching the entrance of the urethra. Caregivers must do the same thing when providing intimate care.
  • After having sex, clean your genital area as the act of sex could push bacteria into the urethra.
  • If someone has a catheter, a tube that drains urine from the bladder, inserting the catheter must be in as sterile or clean an environment as is possible. As well, the urethral area must be kept clean, particularly of stool. Urinary catheters should not stay inserted for longer than necessary.

If you have frequent urinary tract infections, there are some steps you can take to try to reduce the number of infections you get. They include:

  • Drinking plenty of water every day, to help flush out your urinary tract.
  • Eat a healthy diet. Malnutrition, not consuming enough nutrients for your needs, can lower your body’s ability to fight infection.
  • Don’t hold your urine. Empty your bladder as frequently as is realistic and possible.
  • For cisgender women and transgender women, continue the wiping from front to back and cleaning well after sex.
  • Also some cisgender women find that diaphragms increase their number of UTIs, so if you are using a diaphragm, you may want to discuss an alternate method of birth control with your healthcare provider.
Celebrities

Celebrities like singer Etta James, former president Bill Clinton, and Pope John-Paul II had sepsis triggered by a UTI. Learn about more celebrities who had sepsis here.

Related Resources

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Catherine Benton

Hi! My name is Cat. I’m a sepsis survivor. On January 9, 2025, there was a snowstorm headed towards Arkansas which I must admit, doesn’t happen often. The 3 weeks prior I had experienced urinating pain, fever, rapid breathing, and swelling. It didn’t matter what I did, it just got worse. I had no medical insurance at this time so I shrugged it off. I’m also a diabetic. So on that day while en route to finally see my doctor that my mother was going to pay for. I collapsed at his office. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections, Sepsis and ... Read Full Story

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Sherry S.

I became septic after a UTI that sent me to ICU for 3days. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections) Weeks after I got out of hospital. I had to several trips to the E.R. Related to anaphylactic shock due to allergic reactions of unknown causes. After seeing an allergist it was determined that I had no allergies. My problem was mast cell activation syndrome caused by septic shock. I take allergy medicine every day. And carry an EpiPen. I am on a low histamine diet. Lately I have several issues related to mental problems, cognitive decline, memory loss, inability to process ... Read Full Story

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Bianca A.

In August of last year, I began to experience the typical symptoms of a urinary tract infection. As a physician assistant by trade, I felt I should do my due diligence to nip this in the bud. I went to my PCP as soon as I could for a urine sample (which was abnormal), culture, and first-line antibiotic. Two days later, my symptoms had gotten worse, and I felt a bit “off” and feverish. I did not have a true fever, so I called the office. They sent in a broader antibiotic and warned me to go to the ER ... Read Full Story

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Paula Jacobs

After working on development of one of the country’s first electronic sepsis alerts, followed by 18 years of leading teams in early detection and treatment of sepsis, I thought I knew everything there was to know about sepsis. But I did not know how it makes you feel. That all changed in 2016 when I developed severe sepsis after just a couple of days of fever from undiagnosed pneumonia. (Sepsis and Pneumonia) There was no preceding upper respiratory illness, no cough, just fever and extreme fatigue. It was about the sickest I had ever felt, with that vague yet horrible ... Read Full Story

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Rose Aumen

As a registered nurse, I knew when assessing patients in the Emergency Room the appearance/signs/symptoms of sepsis. I never thought I would become a sepsis patient myself. I was in pretty good health for a 65-year-old female. March of 2024 I had chills that morning, My right leg was hurting the day before and was still somewhat painful but tolerable. I took two Tylenol and went back to bed. After resting I felt pretty good, Later that evening I suddenly was unable to walk and had severe pain in my right hip. Bacteremia and sepsis took over my entire body. ... Read Full Story

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Other Topics

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)