[Inflammations of the lower urinary tract in women and possible treatment]

The rate of inflammations of the lower urinary pathways increases with advancing age. The development of inflammations depends not only on the presence of bacteria in the urinary pathways but also on various promoting factors. The most important and most frequent ones are obstructions of the urinary pathways with subsequent slowing down of the urinary flow or stasis. The microbe must adhere to the surface of the urothelium. The authors describes the specific adhesion of the most frequent agent Escherichia coli. On the surface of the bacteria are genetically defined fimbrias which react with receptors of the host cell. E. coli which have an affinity for the renal urothelium and cause pyelonephritis (fimbrias type P) differ from E. coli causing cystitis. The author indicates therapeutic approaches in complicated and non-complicated inflammations. "Single dose" treatment. Uroinfection during pregnancy. Uroinfection during postmenopause.