Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of one or more segments of the urinary tract. Two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder, and a urethra make up the urinary tract. The kidneys are bean-shaped organs located in the lower back, beneath the rib cage. They filter waste from the blood and create urine to expel waste and excess water from the body. Urine is transported from the kidneys to the bladder via the ureters (tubes).

The bladder is a hollow muscular organ that holds urine for a limited amount of time. As urine builds in the bladder, it expands, signalling to the body that it needs to alleviate the increasing pressure. A muscular valve (sphincter) at the bladder’s opening relaxes, and the bladder contracts, sending urine down the urethra (a tube connecting the bladder to the outside surface of a person’s skin) and out of the body.