Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, IP
Abstract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are inflammatory processes of infectious cause, which can reach the upper and/or lower urinary tract. UTIs, after respiratory infections, are the most frequent in the community, with a higher incidence in females. They can be classified according to anatomical location: in cystitis (low UTI) where the presence of bacteria is limited to the bladder; and pyelonephritis (high UTI) defined as that affecting the pelvis and renal parenchyma. Escherichia coli is responsible for 75 to 90% of the cases. The high rates of resistance of E. coli to quinolones and co-trimoxazol described in Portugal are likely to be a consequence of the prescription abuse of these antibiotics over the last few decades and may increase the risk of antibiotic failure. When the antibiotic prescribing decision is based on the knowledge of the main microbial agents involved and its sensitivity profile is known, allowing guidelines to be adjusted to the current reality, empirical antibiotic therapy is associated with eradication rates equal to or greater than 90%.N/
