Urinary Tract Infection Essay

Urinary Tract Infections, or UTIs, effect many people at least once during their lifetime; however, UTIs primarily effect women. To begin, a Urinary Tract Infection is an infection of the urethra, bladder, or kidneys and can be caused by several different types of bacteria, by far the most common being Escherichia coli, or in other terms E. coli (Djordjevic). More times than not, the E. coli bacteria is able to get to the urethra from the anus through poor hygiene (Wexler), spreading through sexual activity, and can even be transmitted to the urethra by wearing thongs. First off, hygiene is needed anyways but it’s crucial in the private areas. Not only to decrease odor, but to was away all of the harmful bacteria’s and other substances that could be potentially harmful to the health of the vagina or urethra (Wexler). Sexual activity also potentially …show more content…
A woman’s meatus is much closer to the rectal area than it is for men. This shorter distance between the two make it a much easier task for the bacteria to travel and spread to the urethra. Also, women have a much shorter urethra than men do. This makes it so much easier for the bacteria to get into the urinary bladder where the bacteria really thrive. Plus, men have another aspect to their anatomy that women lack. Men have a prostate gland and the job of the prostate gland is to cleanse the urethra before ejaculation; however, it also aids in preventing bacteria from getting all the way to the urinary bladder. So for women, there are many more things we can do to prevent UTIs. They include things like hygiene, and comfortably fitted cotton underwear like mentioned above; but other tips include urinating after participating in sexual activity to prevent the bacteria from moving up the urethra, wiping from front to back after using the restroom, and preventative