Urinary Tract Infections: New Insights into Diagnosis, Treatment and Pathogenesis

Dear Colleagues,

Urinary tract infections are one of the most common infections in humans. They affect 50% of women and 12% of men and children worldwide. Women are more prone to have a UTI, and it is reported that, at the age of 32, 50% would have at least 1 episode of infection, with 20-30% having another episode in the next 6 months.

The urinary tract for years has been considered sterile; however, since 2012, a urinary microbiota has been described, though its role in health and disease is not yet clear. Even with advances in sequencing, the diagnosis has been unchanged and is based on urine culture (uroculture).

Regarding the etiological agents, Escherichia coli causes 80% of cases, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, and Proteus mirabilis, among others. Another milestone in comprehending UTI recurrence has been the discovery of intracellular bacterial communities. This remaining biofilm structure protects microorganisms from the action of antibiotics and the immune system.

One of the biggest challenges in treating a UTI is increasing antimicrobial resistance. UTIs are commonly managed with antibiotics and, along with respiratory infections, is the most common reason for antibiotic prescription in primary care. Long-term and uncontrolled use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms. Antibiotic choice is generally empirical and the primary treatment option. Therefore, there is an urgent need for better antibiotic therapies, the development of new antibiotics or non-antibiotic alternatives, and clinical trials. Moreover, wide-spectrum antibiotics have been used to treat UTIs, but they are ineffective in combating intracellular infections. Moreover, the increasing resistance among bacteria makes treatment more complicated. New treatments that include all of these considerations, particularly for UTIs, are necessary.

In this Special Issue, we seek manuscript submissions that develop our knowledge in all aspects of urinary tract infections, from diagnosis to treatment and pathogenesis. We encourage the submission of manuscripts concerning the use of antibiotics or novel therapies.

Dr. Paola Scavone
Guest Editor

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• urinary tract infections
• urinary microbiota
• intracellular bacterial communities
• diagnosis
• etiological agents
• treatments
• antibiotic resistance