Outpatient management of urinary tract infections in adults, an infectious viewpoint

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a frequent outpatient consultation, it affects mostly women, and is becoming more common in all ages, especially in the elderly. Concurrently, antimicrobial resistance is progressively increasing over time and traditional antibiotic regimens have lost their clinical efficacy. In particular, in many countries the increase in resistance of E. coli (the main uropathogen) is a reality, making UTIs caused by E. coli strains that produce expanded spectrum beta-lactamases the greater challenge. This article reviews the risk factors associated with the isolation of resistant strains, common clinical presentations, and also current diagnosis and management of outpatients.