Cystitis associated with sexual intercourse

Introduction: uncomplicated UTI (cystitis, pyelonephritis) is very common in female individuals. The main reason for the increasing incidence of infections of this type in women is the anatomy of the female urethra, and the exposure to several risk factors such as hormonal changes affecting the pH of the perineal region, infections of the vagina, the decreased frequency of urination, menstruation and sexual intercourse. The latter is of particular interest as it relates to the appearance of recurrent cystitis. This study aims to present the current information regarding cystitis associated with sexual intercourse in order to update the knowledge on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment on behalf of related health professionals. Material and Methods: We identified studies published from 2000 onwards through database search in MEDLINE, the National Library of Medicine and IATROTEK with initial search terms: uncomplicated urinary tract infections, cystitis associated with sexual intercourse, along with terms: epidemiology, risk factor treatment. References in the selected articles were checked for appropriate publications not included in the initial search in Medline /Pubmed. Results: Although sexual contact has been established as an important risk factor for uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women, information on sex induced cystitis is scarce. This results in a lack of specific guidelines for the prevention and treatment from the involved scientific societies, a fact that contributes to the maintenance of its prevalence in relatively high levels. Conclusions: Cystitis associated with sexual intercourse is a relatively unknown but important health problem and for this reason bringing up to date healthcare professionals and patients may contribute -as much as possible-to the reduction of its prevalence.