Acute bacterial prostatitis is a sudden severe infection of the prostate gland caused by bacteria.

What is going on in the body?

The prostate gland is located at the base of a man's penis. It secretes substances into the semen that aid in fertility. The fluid in the prostate is normally sterile. Bacteria from urine can enter the prostate through the urethra. The urethra is the tube through which urine flows from the bladder to the tip of the penis. These bacteria can multiply and rapidly cause bacterial prostatitis. Acute bacterial prostatitis is almost always accompanied by an infection in the urinary tract from the same organism.

What are the causes and risks of the infection?

Bacteria commonly found in the intestines are usually responsible for urinary infections in older men. Conditions that make men more prone to urinary infections can contribute to prostatitis. One of these is the blockage of urine flow due to an enlarged prostate gland.