Urinary tract infections in the female.

Special problems peculiar to urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the female include higher frequency than in males, recurrent infections, restrictions on antibiotic use during pregnancy, and the "urethral syndrome." Current concepts in the management of UTI include recognition of significant infection with total count of less than 100,000 organisms per milliliter; awareness that untreated UTI usually does not lead to progressive renal failure; importance of differentiating between upper and lower UTI; use of antibody coating of bacterial for distinguishing upper from lower UTI; evidence that 1-day (or single-dose) therapy may be adequate for cystitis, whereas pyelonephritis usually requires treatment beyond 2 weeks; evidence of effective prophylaxis; and indications that Chlamydia may be responsible for some cases of urethral syndrome.