1. Take the UTI Quiz
2. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Slideshow Pictures
3. Urinary Incontinence in Women Slideshow Pictures

In this Article

• Urinary tract infection (UTI) introduction
• What are the causes of UTI?
• Who is at risk for UTIs?
• What about recurrent urinary tract infections?
• What about UTIs and pregnancy?
• What are UTI symptoms and signs?
• How is a UTI diagnosed?
• What are UTI home remedies and treatment?
• What are the treatment options for recurrent UTIs in women?
• How are infections in pregnancy treated?
• What are UTI complications and their treatment?
• What about UTIs in men?
• Is there a vaccine to prevent recurrent UTIs?
• Where can I get more information about UTIs?
• Urinary Tract Infection in Adults At A Glance

Is there a vaccine to prevent recurrent UTIs?

In the future, scientists may develop a vaccine that can prevent UTIs from coming back. Researchers in different studies have found that children and women who tend to get UTIs repeatedly are likely to lack proteins called immunoglobulins, which fight infection. Children and women who do not get UTIs are more likely to have normal levels of immunoglobulins in their genital and urinary tracts.

Early tests indicate that a vaccine helps patients build up their own natural infection-fighting powers. The dead bacteria in the vaccine do not spread like an infection; instead, they prompt the body to produce antibodies that can later fight against live organisms. Researchers are testing injected and oral vaccines to see which works best. Another method being considered for women is to apply the vaccine directly as a suppository in the vagina.

For more information

American Urological Association
1000 Corporate Boulevard
Linthicum, MD 21090
Phone: 1-866-RING-AUA (746-4282) or 410-689-3700
Fax: 410-689-3800
Email: aua@auanet.org
Internet: www.urologyhealth.org

The Prostatitis Foundation
1063 30th Street, Box 8
Smithshire, IL 61478
Phone: 1-888-891-4200
Fax: 309-325-7184
Email: mcapston@aol.com
Internet: www.prostatitis.org

Urinary Tract Infection in Adults At A Glance

• The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.
• Some people are at more risk for urinary tract infections (UTIs) than others.
• One woman in five develops a UTI during her lifetime.
• Not everyone with a UTI has symptoms. Common symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate and a painful, burning when urinating.
• Underlying conditions that impair the normal urinary flow can lead to more complicated UTIs.

Additional resources from WebMD Boots UK on Urinary Tract Infections

SOURCE:

National Institutes of Health, National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse