Urinary tract infections are common whether you live in Australia or overseas. The fact one might occur while travelling is a specific concern as access to medication might be difficult and the need for early treatment more pressing.
Most UTI’s do not lead to serious health issues, but in some it can lead to an infection of the kidney and occasionally, blood dissemination. It is estimated that over 250,000 cases of pyelonephritis are treated in the USA annually. Approximately 7% require hospitalization. Over 8% of prescribed antimicrobial antibiotics are for UTI’s.
Women have a lifetime incidence of over 50%, much more than males. The prevalence increases with age with women over 65 years having double the rate of the female population overall. In one study, over 10% of postmenopausal women indicated they had a UTI in the previous year.
UTI’s are more common in women with diabetes, abnormalities of the renal tract or a spinal neurological disorder. Unusual organisms might also be associated with these conditions and there may be an increased resistance to commonly used antibiotics.
Traveller’s diarrhoea has been identified as a major risk factor for a UTI.
In a study of 67 female travellers who were diagnosed with fever within 12 days of return from the tropics, urinary tract infection was the commonest diagnosis after malaria. Most were tourists or visiting friends or relatives. Eight of the ten women also had an acute infection of the kidney. This might be expected by their presentation to a hospital rather than a primary care practitioner. It might also reflect a delayed diagnosis and the fact the itineraries all reflected hot climates where dehydration and a poor level of personal hygiene might be a factor.
It is important that UTI’s be considered when organizing a good medical kit.
The choice of antibiotic is important as the bug is usually a reflection of organisms which colonise the gut at the destination. These bacteria can be resistant to the commonly used antibiotics in Australia.
