Urinary Tract Infections

Community-acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common medical condition affecting 20–60% of women and 12% of men at some point in their lifetime.^1,2 

Symptoms of UTI are similar among the sexes: dysuria (painful urination), urination urgency or hesitancy, polyuria and incomplete voiding may all be associated with acute cystitis.³ 

Patients often present with UTIs at healthcare facilities in South Africa. Bacterial infections of the urinary tract are the most common cause of both community- and hospital-acquired infections in this country.⁴

There are two types of UTIs: simple and complicated. Simple UTIs occur in healthy people with normal urinary tracts.² 

A simple UTI can be treated with a single-dose⁵ or short course of antibiotics.²

Considerations when selecting an antibiotic for acute cystitis include resistance rates, efficacy, risk of adverse effects, cost and drug availability.⁴ 

Single-dose antibiotic regimes are expected to be associated with enhanced compliance, lower cost and possibly fewer adverse events in comparison to longer antibiotic regimes.⁴