Pyelonephritis
Alternate Names : Kidney Infection
What are the treatments for the infection?
A person is usually given
antibiotics as soon as the diagnosis of a kidney infection seems likely. The most common antibiotics prescribed include:
sulfa medications
cephalosporins, such as cephaclor or cephalexin
trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
A person with a severe infection may need to be hospitalized. Sometimes
surgery is needed to correct a physical problem with the urinary tract.
What are the side effects of the treatments?
The side
effects of antibiotics include stomach upset, rash, or allergic reaction.
The side effects of surgery include bleeding, infection, or an allergic reaction to anesthesia.
What happens after treatment for the infection?
It is very important for
the person to complete the full course of antibiotics. In some cases, a low
dose of an antibiotic may be prescribed for a person to take continually to
keep the infection from coming back.
Sometimes a person has many episodes of pyelonephritis in a short time period. Further testing may need to be done to rule out kidney disease or urinary tract abnormalities. Common tests include:
ultrasound of the kidney and bladder
a voiding cystourethrogram, or
VCUG, in which a liquid is put into the bladder through a catheter, or tube,
inserted through the urethra. An x-ray then follows the liquid through the
bladder and urethra. This test can reveal abnormalities of the inside of the
urethra and bladder.
intravenous pyelogram, which
examines the whole urinary tract. A liquid is injected through a tube inserted
into a vein. An x-ray then follows the liquid as it flows through the urinary
tract. This test may reveal blockages in the tract.
a nuclear scan, in which radioactive materials are injected into a vein.
This test shows how the kidneys work, how the kidneys are shaped, and how urine
drains from the kidneys.
How is the infection monitored?
Follow-up urine cultures need to be done several weeks
after the person is finished taking the antibiotics. This is important to make
sure that the treatment has been effective. Untreated pyelonephritis can lead
to very serious kidney damage. Any new or worsening symptoms should be reported
to the healthcare provider.
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