Urinary tract infections are related to the kidney. Urinary tract infections include infections of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and prostatitis. Urinary tract infections include lower and upper urinary tract infections. Urinary tract infections are very much related to the kidneys, but lower urinary tract infections have relatively little effect. Lower urinary tract infections are related to cystitis, a condition that generally does not affect the kidneys. But upper urinary tract infections are pyelonephritis, which is related to the kidneys. Most patients with pyelonephritis are caused by untreated bladder infections that migrate upward, especially in women and relatively few in men. With pyelonephritis, upper urinary tract infections take longer to treat and are more difficult because they need to be sure to be cured. Acute pyelonephritis, if not treated thoroughly, can easily turn chronic, and turning chronic can easily progress to uremia. Most lower urinary tract infections, however, are generally better treated, which means that the urinary tract and kidneys are related.