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Symptoms of urinary tract infections
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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Clinical signs of cystitis in children:
- frequent painful urination in small portions (dysuria);
- pain in the bladder area, tenderness on palpation in the suprapubic area;
- incomplete one-time emptying of the bladder, urinary incontinence;
- subfebrile or normal temperature;
- leukocyturia;
- bacteriuria.
Clinical signs of pyelonephritis:
- predominantly febrile temperature (38 °C and above);
- pain in the lumbar region, abdomen;
- symptoms of intoxication (paleness, lethargy, loss of appetite, headache, vomiting);
- leukocyturia;
- bacteriuria;
- proteinuria (minor or moderate, usually not exceeding 1 g/day);
- disruption of the process of urine concentration, especially in the acute period;
- neutrophilic leukocytosis with a left shift;
- increased ESR (>20 mm/h);
- high levels of acute phase proteins: C-reactive protein, P-proteins, beta 2 -microglobulin.
Symptoms of urinary tract infections depending on age
The urinary system of newborns and young children (first 2 years of life) is most susceptible to infection. This is due to anatomical and physiological features (intrarenal location of the pelvis, tortuous and hypotonic ureters, immaturity of their neuromuscular apparatus) and physiological insufficiency of local immunity. It is known that the synthesis of IgG in children is fully formed by 2-3 years, and IgA - by 5-7 years of life.
The clinical picture of urinary tract infection in newborns and young children is dominated by non-specific symptoms of intoxication: fever, pale or mottled skin, lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting and regurgitation, insufficient weight gain or weight loss, diarrhea.
The only symptom of a urinary tract infection in young children (especially newborns and those in their first year of life) may be a fever.
The equivalent of dysuria in children in the first year of life may be restlessness or crying before, during and after urination, facial flushing, grunting, tension in the suprapubic area, urination in small portions, weakness and intermittent urine stream.
In older children, along with intoxication, local symptoms are detected: pain in the abdomen and lumbar region, pain in the costovertebral angle when tapped and palpated, pain above the pubis and dysuria.