It's likely that you've had a urinary tract infection (UTI) at some point in your life and are aware of how painful and inconvenient it may be. Whether it's caused by the overwhelming need to urinate, the discomfort, or the burning feeling when urinating. Antibiotics may be necessary if the illness persists for more than a few days.

The increasing antibiotic resistance of the bacteria responsible for UTIs is a major worldwide public health issue, according to Dr. Sanman Gowda, HOD and consultant, urology, KMC Hospital, Mangalore, and Dr. Mohammed Shahid Ali, consultant, urology, uro-oncology, robotic surgery, and renal transplantation, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, in an interview with an Lifestyle Magazine.

What causes a UTI?

"UTI commonly affects both men and women," Dr. Gowda stated. But the female sex is more often impacted. At least once in their lives, between 50 and 60 percent of women experience an incident of UTI. Age, diabetes, kidney stones, immunosuppression, and underlying urinary tract abnormalities present at birth are some of the risk factors for UTI.

The misuse of antibiotics is cautioned against by a doctor.

The majority of UTI treatments, according to Dr. Gowda, include antibiotics for five to seven days. "In recent years, getting affected by complicated UTIs, for which most antibiotics do not act (resistance), is becoming more frequent. The problem has been exacerbated recently by the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, he added.

"The over-the-counter purchase and use of antibiotics without a medical prescription or supervision are the main reasons for antibiotic resistance," Dr. Gowda said, explaining why. Second, having the wrong dosage, antibiotic, or length of treatment. The third reason is noncompliance from patients, and the last and most significant is the use of reserve or high-end antibiotics for simple UTIs. Additionally, failing to have a urine culture performed in recurring UTIs is a factor."

Why increasing antibiotic resistance is an issue

"Treating complicated urinary tract infections is frequently a challenge we face in day-to-day practice," Dr Ali stated. These instances, which are often brought on by more antibiotic-resistant bacteria such Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, or ESBL-producing E coli, typically involve patients with underlying problems such diabetes, kidney stones, or catheters.

"Unlike simple UTIs that respond to short courses of oral antibiotics, complicated ones frequently need long-term or even intravenous antibiotics," he said. The actual issue is that many of these bacteria have developed resistance to popular antibiotics, which restricts our treatment choices."

The antibiotic resistance of bacteria involved in UTIs was a significant global public health issue that resulted in higher morbidity and death rates, according to Dr. Gowda, and urgent action is needed to make the best use of antibiotics. He said, "Certain bacteria that cause UTI are now becoming resistant to one or more of the commonly prescribed antibiotics, and in some cases, resistant to the majority of antibiotics (pan-resistant/multidrug-resistant)."

"The likelihood of treatment failure, prolonged illness, sepsis, ICU admissions, morbidity, and mortality increases as antimicrobial resistance increases," Dr Ali stated. The widespread, unrestricted over-the-counter use of antibiotics without adequate primary care recommendations could also be a factor. For this reason, enhanced infection control and responsible antibiotic use are more crucial than ever.

The way ahead

To address this 'serious issue,' Dr. Gowda emphasized the necessity of improved antibiotic use practices and policies as well as public awareness campaigns, stating, "It is imperative to consult a urologist when you experience symptoms of UTI, like burning urination, increased frequency of urination, lower abdominal or flank pain with associated fever." Patients are urged to use antibiotics only when prescribed by a doctor and to make sure they finish the entire course of therapy.