Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be divided into upper tract infections, which involve the kidneys, and lower tract infections, which involve the bladder, urethra, or prostate. However, in practice, and particularly in children, differentiating between the sites may be difficult or impossible. Moreover, infection often moves from one area to the other.
Kidney infection (pyelonephritis) is a specific type of urinary tract infection (UTI) that generally begins in your urethra or bladder and travels up into your kidneys. If not treated properly, kidney infection can permanently damage your kidneys or spread to your bloodstream and cause a life-threatening infection. Prompt medical attention is required.
Bladder infections are not serious if treated right away. But they tend to come back in some people. This can lead to kidney infections, which are more serious and may result in permanent kidney damage. So it’s very important to treat the underlying causes of a bladder infection and to take preventive steps to keep them from coming back.
Pyelonephritis is an ascending urinary tract infection that has reached the pyelum (pelvis) of the kidney (nephros in Greek).
