Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection in Females - Why They are More Prone to UTI's
2.26.2009
Urinary tract infection is one illness that can affect everyone, and no one is completely safe from it. However, certain groups of people are more prone to them than others, particularly sexually active adult females. This article will talk about the scientific reasons behind this.
Females are up to 30 times as likely to contract urinary tract infections compared to males. There are many speculations as to why, but most experts agree that it's due to genetic differences. Female urethras are much shorter than their male counterparts, so bacteria do not travel nearly as far to reach the bladder, where they can reproduce and cause problems. Male prostates fluids can also serve as a barrier against the bacteria's entry.
Before age one, males and females are equally as likely to contract UTI's. In fact, uncircumcised boys have a higher chance than even girls. But past age one and throughout adulthood, girls become much more prone to UTI's. But children, overall, won't get them as often as adults will. This is probably because they are not yet sexually active, which is a major cause for recurrent UTI's.
Sex does not actually cause UTI's, but it can upset the urethra, making it rather defenseless in the face of bacteria. Also, it is easy to transfer E. coli bacteria from the anus, where they usually live. E. coli is the culprit in more than 90% of all UTI cases. They cause no problems in your anus, but if they reach the bladder, they can be real pests.
As people get older, gender does not seem to matter when it comes to UTI's. Elderly males and females are both likely to contract them. This is perhaps due to a lowered immune system as one grows older, and the body is less able to put up a fight against incoming bacteria.
That being said, adult males do get UTI's, especially if they are in their family history. So while they are not at the highest risk, they should still exercise prevention methods.
