What are recurrent UTIs and why is it important to distinguish between recurrence and reinfections?
Recurrent UTIs are usually new infections from bacteria outside the urinary tract (re-infection). Recurrent infections due to the re-emergence of bacteria from a site within the urinary tract (bacterial persistence) are uncommon. The distinction between re-infection and bacterial persistence is important in management because women with re-infection usually do not have an underlying alterable urologic abnormality and usually require long-term medical management. Conversely, patients with bacterial persistence can usually be cured of recurrent infections by identification and surgical removal or correction of the focus of infection.
