How pediatric urinary tract infections are caused

  Pediatric urinary tract infections are infections caused by bacteria entering the urinary tract directly, and it is one of the most common infectious diseases in pediatrics. Girls are more likely to get infected after the age of 2 because most urinary tract infections are retrograde from the urethra, and the urethra of girls is shorter than that of boys, so they are more likely to get infected; however, the prevalence of urinary tract infections is higher in boys than in girls, because boys often have more congenital urinary system malformations. In addition, prepuce is also a predisposing factor for urinary tract infections in boys.  Pediatric urinary tract infections take longer to treat, but most have a better prognosis and may be cured at once. However, if left untreated, or if treatment is incomplete, recurrent infections may occur, eventually leading to scarring of the kidneys, affecting kidney filtration and eventually developing into hypertension and chronic renal failure, which can seriously affect the health of children and even endanger their lives. Clinical data show that 30% of children with four or more recurrent UTIs will have kidney scar formation. Half of the children under one year of age who develop a urinary tract infection have a combination of congenital vesicoureteral reflux or hydronephrosis. Children with severe vesicoureteral reflux are eight to ten times more likely to have kidney damage than normal children. Therefore, it should be taken seriously.