Bush Beats Vol-4, No-3, 2018

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the third most common infectious disease seen in individuals after respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. UTI is known as an inflammatory response to colonization of urinary tract including the lower and the upper urinary tract by microbial pathogens; most commonly bacteria. These bacterial intruders or uropathogens intend to cause adhesions, release siderophores and toxins within the urinary tract giving rise to plenty of urinary and systemic signs and symptoms. The infection is found to be prevalent among men and women but it shows a predilection for women owing to their distinct anatomy and reproductive physiology. Adult women of all ages have increased susceptibility to UTIs, with an incidence ratio of 8:1 as compared to men. In older adults (> 65 years), UTIs are the second most common cause of infectious disease hospitalization, after lower respiratory tract infections 1-7

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) encompass a heterogeneous group of disorders, with indistinct underlying pathophysiology. These disorders are considered to result from the interaction of altered gut physiology and psychological factors through the brain- gut axis, where brain and gut symptoms are reciprocally influencing each other’s expression. The presence of chronic gastrointestinal symptoms in absence of any organic pathology is the hallmark of FGIDs. Bowel is the most commonly involved part of the gastrointestinal tract (functional bowel disorders), and abdominal pain or discomfort are among the most evident manifestations. FGIDs are highly prevalent and pose a sizeable burden on health care and society, and impact patients’ quality of life.1-3 The new and updated ROME IV classification4 has redefined functional gastrointestinal disorders as ‘disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI),’ and classified them into eight broad categories (Table 1), including the functional bowel disorders (category C) that are further subcategorized into the following: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); functional constipation; functional diarrhea; functional abdominal bloating/distension; unspecified functional bowel disorder, and; opioid- induced constipation.