Are bacteria in urine contagious? | Bacteria in urine – how dangerous is that?

Are bacteria in urine contagious?

Bacterial diseases are always potentially infectious. If the bacterial pathogens succeed in spreading to another host, they can also cause a disease there. This is also possible in principle for urinary tract infections, but is rare.

The most frequent transmission route is smear infections. The bacteria are not transmitted directly. Sources of infection are for example the door handles of public toilets.

Bacteria can get onto the hands and back by touching the intimate area. Sufficient hand hygiene therefore greatly reduces the risk of infection. In principle, urinary tract infections can also spread through sexual intercourse.

However, transmission between men and women is only possible in exceptional cases. Bacteria in the urine are not rare in pregnant women and often trigger a urinary tract infection. During pregnancy, the urinary tract is often squeezed and narrowed because the uterus (uterus) becomes very enlarged.

Pregnancy hormones such as progesterone favour this process. The constriction sometimes causes problems in the urine flow, which makes it easier for bacteria to settle. The composition of the urine also changes.

This means that the pH-value changes, creating a more hospitable environment for bacteria. An inflammation of the urethra or bladder can develop. If these infections remain untreated, they can lead to a renal pelvic inflammation.

Such an inflammation is not without danger during pregnancy and should be treated urgently. Penicillin preparations can be taken without any problems. A common symptom of inflammation of the renal pelvis is kidney pain.

Unfortunately, inflammation of the renal pelvis can have far-reaching consequences. In addition to kidney failure, it can also lead to blood poisoning, or premature labor in a late stage of pregnancy. To prevent a urinary tract infection, regular urine tests are carried out.

There are test strips for this, which you can get yourself at the pharmacy. Women are affected by urinary tract infections much more often than men. The reason for this lies in the different anatomy of the two sexes.

The urethra of a woman is about 4 centimetres long. In men, the length of the urethra is five times that, i.e. about 20 centimetres. In addition, the external opening of the urethra in women is relatively close to the anus.

In men, this distance is significantly longer due to the different anatomy. So-called uncomplicated urinary tract infections are therefore very rare in men. With age, the probability of suffering from a urinary tract infection increases, even in men.

Urinary tract infections can occur in men as a result of various previous illnesses. These often affect the flow of urine through the urinary tract. If the prostate is enlarged, it can narrow the urinary tract and make urination more difficult.

Since bacteria are no longer flushed out with the urine, a urinary tract infection can now occur. Urinary tract infections in men should be examined by a doctor. The proportion of so-called complicated urinary tract infections is higher in men than in women.

In men, the prostate lies below the bladder. Bacteria migrating through the urethra can therefore easily cause an inflammation of the prostate. This is very painful and should be treated medically.