Urogenital Infections Edition 2010
Preface
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most prevalent infectious 
diseases with a substantial financial burden on society. Unfortunately, there are no good data concerning the prevalence of various types of UTIs and their impact on the quality of life of the affected population in Europe.
In the USA, UTIs are responsible for over 7 million physician visits annually, including more than 2 million visits for cystitis.
Approximately 15% of all community
prescribed antibiotics in the USA are dispensed for UTI, at an estimated annual cost of over US $1 billion. Furthermore, the direct and indirect costs associated with community acquired UTIs in the USA alone exceed an estimated US $1.6
billion. UTIs account for more than 100,000 hospital admissions annually, most often for pyelonephritis. They also account for at least 40% of all hospital-acquired infections and are in the majority of cases catheter-associated. Nosocomial bacteriuria develops in up to 25% of patients requiring a urinary catheter for > 7 days, with a daily risk of 5%. It has been estimated that an episode of nosocomial bacteriuria adds US $500–1,000 to the direct cost of acute care hospitalization. In addition, the pathogens are fully exposed to the nosocomial environment, including selective pressure by antibiotic or antiseptic substances. Nosocomial UTIs therefore comprise perhaps the largest institutional reservoir of nosocomial antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Therefore, prevention and best management of nosocomial UTI must have highest priority worldwide in daily practice and research.
Editors:
| Kurt G. Naber (Chair) Straubing Germany |
Anthony J. Schaeffer Chicago, Illinois U S A |
Chris F. Heyns Tygerberg South Africa |
| Tetsuro Matsumoto Kitakyushu Japan |
Daniel A. Shoskes Cleveland, Ohio U S A |
Truls E. Bjerklund Johansen Aarhus Denmark |
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