Generalized Deterioration
Older adults may keep their mental status and not experience organic decompensation. The elderly are usually affected to a greater extent. They might seem extremely fatigued and light-headed, with a generalized deterioration of their health status and significant changes in their energy levels.
As mentioned, while it might seem simple to diagnose, kidney infections have some unsuspectedly complicated alleys and sometimes it is not easy to differentiate from other diseases. Even with prevalent symptoms suggesting a urinary tract infection, we should also consider sexually transmitted diseases like yeast infections, which can be challenging to differentiate at times.
Infants
In infants, diagnosing a kidney infection might be harder than expected, and this is why urine tests are readily performed in the event of fever of unknown origin. In older adults, kidney infections can be a serious threat, and may even lead to an altered consciousness.
Interestingly enough, the vast majority of urinary tract infections are caused by the same bacteria E. coli. This bacterium is usually found in the colon, that’s why one of the most important ways to prevent UTI’s is to practice hygiene and safe sexual behavior.
References
Hooton, T. M. (2001). Recurrent urinary tract infection in women. International journal of antimicrobial agents, 17(4), 259-268.
Krieger, J. N. (2002). Urinary tract infections: what’s new?. The journal of urology, 168(6), 2351-2358.
Gupta, K., Hooton, T. M., Naber, K. G., Wullt, B., Colgan, R., Miller, L. G., … & Soper, D. E. (2011). International clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of acute uncomplicated cystitis and pyelonephritis in women: a 2010 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the European Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Clinical infectious diseases, 52(5), e103-e120.
Baldassarre, J. S., & Kaye, D. (1991). Special problems of urinary tract infection in the elderly. The Medical clinics of North America, 75(2), 375-390.
Roberts, K. B. (2011). Urinary tract infection: clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis and management of the initial UTI in febrile infants and children 2 to 24 months. Pediatrics, 128(3), 595-610.
Newman, T. B. (2011). The new American Academy of Pediatrics urinary tract infection guideline. Pediatrics, 128(3), 572-575.
