Knowledge And Causes Of Urinary Tract Infection As Perceived By Health Workers
[A CASE STUDY OF KAURA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KADUNA STATE]

Figure 1 depicts the urinary system comprising of the various parts of the urinary tract including the renal artery and vein, kidneys, bladder, ureter, urethra and provision for urine exit. Kidneys are the organs of utmost significance and are known to perform crucial regulatory functions. These acts as innate filters and play a vital role in removing the unwanted water soluble waste from the blood and also enables the reabsorption of essential ingredients like water, glucose and amino acids. Kidneys are known for the production of urine which is diverted to the urinary bladder by means of thin tubular structure known as ureter. The urinary bladder is a muscular flexible organ which accumulates the urine collected from the kidneys before they are disposed. The collected water soluble waste in the form of urine is then flushed out from the genitals by means of urethra which connects the urinary bladder and genitals. This process of production of urine and its disposal is systematic and urinary tract infection greatly influences this process and may result in a variety of symptoms which the patient experiences during the process of contagion. In simple terms urinary tract infection is a consequence of invasion of the urinary tract by infectious organisms resulting in bladder infection and untreated condition leads to renal defects damaging the kidneys. The organized operation of the urinary system relies on the lower and upper tracts which are known to perform diverse regulatory tasks ranging from the production of the urine till their disposal. Entry of an infectious pathogen in the urinary tract causes the infection which usually occurs through the urethra. This is one of the prime reasons for higher incidence among women than men due to the shorter length of urethra in women which makes them vulnerable to such infections.

Since the urethra is shorter in women (about 1.5 to 2 inches) when compared to men (8 inches), they are more prone to infections associated with the urinary tract. The shorter length of the urethra in women enhances the scope for the pathogen to invade the bladder resulting in bladder infection.