What I need to know about Urinary Tract Infections

What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

A UTI is an infection anywhere in the urinary tract.* Your urinary tract includes the organs that collect and store urine and release it from your body. They are the

• kidneys
• ureters
• bladder
• prostate (in men)
• urethra
• Kidneys. Your kidneys collect wastes and extra water from your blood to make urine.
• Ureters. The ureters carry the urine from your kidneys to your bladder.
• Bladder. Your bladder stores the urine and squeezes it out when full.
• Prostate. The prostate adds fluid to semen.
• Urethra. The urethra carries the urine out of your bladder when you urinate.

*Words in bold type are defined in the glossary