Kidney Infection
(Pyelonephritis)
Siamak T. Nabili, MD, MPH
Dr. Nabili received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), majoring in chemistry and biochemistry. He then completed his graduate degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His graduate training included a specialized fellowship in public health where his research focused on environmental health and health-care delivery and management.
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
- Kidney infection facts
- What is the function of the kidneys?
- Where are the kidneys located?
- What is a kidney infection?
- What are the causes of kidney infection?
- What are risk factors for kidney and urinary tract infection?
- Is screening recommended for UTI or kidney infection?
- What are the signs and symptoms of kidney infection?
- How is kidney infection diagnosed?
- What are different types of kidney infection?
- What are the common bacteria that cause kidney infections?
- What is the treatment for kidney infection?
- Are there foods I should avoid if I have a kidney infection?
- Can kidney infection be prevented?
- Patient Comments: Kidney Infection - Causes
- Patient Comments: Kidney Infection - Symptoms
- Patient Comments: Kidney Infection - Treatments
- Find a local Nephrologist in your town
Kidney infection facts
- Kidney infection is one of a number of infections that can involve the urinary tract.
- Infection of the kidney is very common, especially in young females.
- Prompt treatment of kidney infection with antibiotics is extremely important.
- In people with kidney infection, it is important to drink adequate amounts of water and liquids.
- If treated early and adequately, kidney infection generally has a good outcome.
What is the function of the kidneys?
The kidneys have a variety of important functions in the body. These functions include filtering and excreting the waste products from the blood as it circulates through capillaries within the kidneys, regulating blood pressure, maintaining steady levels of electrolytes (for example, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and chloride), and contributing to the production of red blood cells.
Where are the kidneys located?
The kidneys are located on either side of the body underneath the diaphragm near the lower back. Each kidney is connected to the bladder in the pelvis by ureters (long tube-like structures) that drain the urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Urine stored in the bladder is excreted from the body through the urethra. Collectively, these structures make up what is called the urinary tract.
What is a kidney infection?
The main components of the urinary tract system are kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Any part of the urinary system may become infected and this is generally referred to as urinary tract infection (UTI). When a kidney becomes infected, the condition is medically referred to as pyelonephritis. Thus, kidney infection is only one of several types of infections encompassed by the term UTI. The spectrum of UTIs includes:
- Acute uncomplicated cystitis (bladder infection)
- Recurrent cystitis
- Complicated UTI
- Prostatitis (prostate infection)
- Kidney infection (pyelonephritis)
- Catheter-associated UTI (in individuals with indwelling urinary catheters)
A more general classification of urinary tract infection is the following:
- Lower urinary tract infection involves the urethra, the bladder, and, in men, the prostate gland.
- Upper urinary tract infection refers to infection of the kidneys.
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