Pyelonephritis: causes, symptoms and treatment

By Cristiano Antonino On Oct 17, 2022

Pyelonephritis refers to an infectious process affecting the upper urinary tract, that is, the kidneys. This infectious process may arise for various reasons and origins and affects only the urinary tract

What are the causes of pyelonephritis

The most common route of bacterial transmission that causes, precisely, pyelonephritis is represented by the ascending route coinciding, most likely, with an ongoing bacterial cystitis from E.Coli or other bacteria.

Such Infection, however, in order to get to the point of infecting the kidneys must be promoted by abnormalities of the urinary system, both functional and anatomical, which can occur in the female and male sexes:

vesicoureteral reflux
neurological bladder
renal and bladder lithiasis
obstructive uropathy and others.

Pyelonephritis also has additional pathways such as lymphatic and hematologic

This condition predominantly affects the female sex, both for hormonal (hormonal changes) and anatomical reasons (shorter urethra and episodes of cystitis).

Symptoms and signs of pyelophrenitis

Pyelonephritis can present in acute or chronic form:

in the acute phase it may degenerate to pyonephrosis or perinephritic abscess;
in the chronic pyelonephritis (which includes xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis). Symptomatology is evidenced by flank and abdominal pain, chills with agitation, lasting high fever, urination disturbances, mental confusion, and hematuria.

How pyelophrenitis is diagnosed

Pyelonephritis is diagnosed by the presence of a urinary infection and by performing targeted diagnostic tests such as abdominal CT and renal ultrasound, as well as logically hematologic tests.

Therapy of pyelonephritis

In the elderly population that is affected by this disease, the mortality rate is fair, and it is therefore recommended to perform targeted intravenous antibiotic therapy as soon as possible in order to regress the infectious process and consequently the symptomatology as soon as possible.

It is recommended, however, even in people of any age, to address the above pathology as soon as possible by observing a valid and targeted antibiotic therapy.