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Causes of Urinary Tract Infections
What causes a urinary tract infection (UTI)?
UTIs are caused by germs (bacteria). They enter the urethra and travel up the urinary tract.
- Germs that normally live in the large intestine and are in feces (stool) are the most common source of infection.
- Sexual intercourse may move bacteria into the urinary tract. This is more common in women.
- Catheters are a common source of infection in people who are in hospitals or long-term care centers. Catheters are flexible tubes put into the bladder to allow urine to drain.
- Sometimes bacteria traveling through the blood or lymph system can cause kidney or bladder infections.
Women tend to get more bladder infections than men. This is likely because women have shorter urethras, and their rectums are closer to their urethras. So it's easier for germs to move up to the bladder.
UTIs in older men are often related to prostate problems. Having an enlarged prostate can limit the body's ability to pass urine.