Recurrence of Urinary Tract Infection among Women
Submission: 01 November 2025 | Acceptance: 20 January 2026 | Publication: 09 April 2026
¹Dr Inam Ul Haq, ²Dr Muhammad Nasir Ali, 3Mansoor Musa, 4Qamar Abbas, 5Isma Abbas, 6Faiza Maqsood
¹Urology Department Gulab Devi Teaching Hospital
²DHQ Hospital Sheikhupura
3UHS Lahore
4PIMS Islamabad
5PIMS Islamabad
6Liaquat Hospital Karachi
Abstract
Background: UTI is the most common bacterial infection in women. In spite of appropriate first-line treatment, recurrence rates do remain high.
Objective: It is important to identify risk factors, clinical patterns, and preventive measures against recurrence of UTI in women.
Methods: It was a prospective observational study to identify the recurrence rates, pattern of microbes involved, and other contributing factors to recurrence in females with UTI.
Results: Behavioral, anatomical, and microbiological factors were associated with the incidence of recurrent UTI; Escherichia coli remained the predominant pathogen. The characteristics of recurrence and its associated risk factors are summarized in the following two tables.
Conclusion: Recurrent UTI is one of the big clinical problems in women; thus, its prevention has to be complex, including behavioral modification, timely diagnosis, and individualized prophylactic therapy.
Keywords: Urinary tract infection, recurrent UTI, women, Escherichia coli, risk factors, prophylaxis, reinfection, relapse