What causes UTI?

April 5, 2024 Reviewed by Dr Hameed Ibrahim Khokar

Originally posted 2021-09-29 04:31:27.

It is E. coli (bacterium Escherichia coli) that is known to cause most UTIs and is present naturally within the human body. It is through the urethra that the bacterium enters the urinary tract. Urine gets drained from the bladder and through the penis from the urethra, a tube like structure.

Women are more prone to getting affected with UTIs than men, since they have a short urethra and shorter distance is to be travelled by the bacteria to reach the bladder. It is not contagious and men will not catch it when having intercourse. This s because, this bacterial infection already exists within men’s urinary tract!

But men face UTIs very commonly as they reach older age. A major reason cited for the same is that non-cancerous prostate gland enlargement takes place more in older men. It is termed as benign prostatic hyperplasia. It is around the bladder neck that the prostate tends to wrap, where the bladder is connected with the urethra. But prostate gland enlargement might choke bladder neck, thereby making it tough to allow urine freely. In case, there is not experienced complete emptying of the bladder, then bacteria is likely to get a foothold as it generally gets flushed out with urine.