Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) occurs when germs infect the system that carries urine out of your body — the kidneys, bladder, and the tubes that connect them. Bladder infections are common and usually not serious if treated promptly. But if the infection spreads to the kidneys, it can cause more serious illness. Diabetes or other chronic diseases that affect the immune system may decrease your resistance to infection. Diagnosis is based both on symptoms and a laboratory test.
In Texas, urinary tract infections resulted in 34,037 hospitalizations in 2012 and the average age of adults hospitalized was 65 years. Females accounted for 74.9% of the hospitalizations. The average hospital stay was 4 days and the average charge was $27,141. At discharge, 16.7% of the patients were released to a skilled nursing facility while another 12.3% were released to the care of home health services.