Kidney Infection (Acute and Chronic Pyelonephritis) — Symptoms and Treatment

Bacterial infection is the most common cause of pyelonephritis. Acute complicated pyelonephritis is an acute emergency and needs immediate treatment with intravenous antibiotics. Infection in acute pyelonephritis is usually due to ascending infection, or due to hematogenous infection. Chronic pyelonephritis is characterized by the presence of recurrent infections, usually due to structural and functional anomalies in the genitourinary tract. Clinical features include fever and abdominal flank pain with or without symptoms of cystitis. WBC casts are the characteristic findings seen in the urine analysis. Fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins are the mainstay in the treatment of pyelonephritis. Prognosis is excellent in uncomplicated pyelonephritis, while it is poor in emphysematous pyelonephritis.