Use of antibiotic therapy for recurrent urinary tract infections caused by Escherichia coli

Abstract

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections and a leading reason for antibiotic prescriptions. They are more common in women, particularly during menopause. The cost of treating urinary tract infections significantly impacts the health system and affects the quality of life, especially when the infections are recurrent. Reinfections account for 80% of recurrent infec-tions, with the primary cause usually being the colon bacterial flora, with Escherichia coli as the dominant culprit. Case report. A 63-year-old female patient visited her GP with complaints of low-grade fever and frequent urina-tion without dysuria. She was diagnosed with cystitis and was prescribed a seven-day course of antibiotics, which ef-fectively resolved her urinary tract infection symptoms. Due to frequent urinary tract infections, she was subsequently placed on a prophylactic six-month course of nitrofurantoin, 50 mg. The patient remained symptom-free during the anti-biotic prophylaxis. Conclusion. Many protocols have been shown to re-duce the occurrence of urinary tract infections. Antibiotic treatment based on the antibiogram, as well as antibiotic pro-phylaxis (continuous and post-coital), has proven to be the most effective method for preventing recurrent cystitis. The choice of treatment method and approach depends on the fre-quency and severity of symptoms.