Urinary Tract Infection in a Hospitalised Patient: an Increasingly Common Infection

An elderly male with an extensive medical history was admitted for sepsis of unspecified origin; the source was later found to be an urinary tract infection. Urinalysis and conventional urine culture were used in diagnosing this infection, and it was successfully treated with a 7-day course of intravenous ceftriaxone. The patient had no recurrence of urinary symptoms or development of complications at his follow-up. While has traditionally been described as an uncommon and relatively avirulent source of urinary tract infections, increasing reports of positive isolation suggest its incidence may be higher than previously believed. Cases have been more frequently reported among elderly males with multimorbidity and repeat hospitalisation. A lower threshold of suspicion for urinary tract infections in this population may better guide empiric therapy and help avoid potentially life-threatening complications.