(HealthDayNews) -- Normal urine is sterile. A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when microorganisms, usually bacteria from the digestive tract, cling to the opening of the urethra and begin to multiply, according to the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases.
Many infections are caused by one type of bacteria, Escherichia coli.
Not everyone with a UTI has symptoms, but most infections have at least some. These may include a frequent urge to urinate or a painful, burning feeling in the area of the bladder or urethra during urination. It is not unusual to feel tired and washed out, or to feel pain even when not urinating.
UTIs are treated with antibacterial drugs. The choice of drug and length of treatment depend on the patient's history, and the urine tests that confirm the infection and the offending bacteria.
