pyelonephritis - Signs and symptoms, Diagnosis

A bacterial inflammation of the kidney, usually associated with infection in the lower urinary tract, such as the bladder. The infection usually reaches the kidney by ascending the ureters, and is encouraged to do so by a lesion causing obstruction to the free flow of urine, such as urinary stones, or enlargement of the prostate. Infection is accompanied by high fever and back pain and needs treatment with appropriate antibiotics, since persisting or recurrent infection may lead to renal failure.

Pyelonephritis
Classifications and external resources

ICD-10	N10.-N12., N20.9
ICD-9	590, 592.9
DiseasesDB	29255 11052
MedlinePlus	000522
eMedicine	ped/1959
MeSH	C12.777.419.570.643.790

Pyelonephritis is an ascending urinary tract infection that has reached the pyelum (pelvis) of the kidney (nephros in Greek).

Signs and symptoms

It presents with high spiking fever, backache, vomiting, dysuria (painful voiding), rigors and often also with confusion.

Diagnosis

Nitrite and leukocytes on a urine dipstick are often detected, which may be an indication for empirical treatment.

In patients with recurrent ascending urinary tract infections, it may be necessary to exclude an anatomical abnormality, such as vesicoureteric reflux (urine from the bladder flowing back into the ureter).