Causes of Bladder infections

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One of the most common methods of infection is when bacteria from outside the body travel up the urethra (the tube that passes urine out of the body). This is particularly common in women, because there is less distance between the urethra opening and the anus, so bacteria can easily move from one area to the other. This might happen because of poor hygiene or due to vigorous sex. Women are also more likely to have this type of infection because the distance between the urethra opening and the bladder is shorter, so the bacteria do not have as far to travel. (See Cystitis topic for further information).

Bacteria and viruses can also spread in the blood from other parts of the body, for example if you have an infectious disease such as tuberculosis or diphtheria (both rare in the UK), or a sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as gonorrhoea.

Infections in the kidney can spread through the urinary system to the bladder. In men, an acute (severe) bacterial infection of the prostate can both cause and be a cause of bladder infection. The prostate gland is just below the bladder, and infections can pass both ways along the urethra. Viruses such as the herpes virus (which causes genital herpes) can also spread to the bladder and cause infection.

Other causes of bladder infections include parasites such as schistosomiasis (found in some hot countries), and fungi such as candida, which causes thrush. You are more likely to get a fungal infection if your immune system doesnâ€™t work properly, for example if you have diabetes or lupus, or if you have recently had chemotherapy.

You are more likely to have bladder infections if your bladder does not empty fully each time you urinate. You might have a condition called incontinence, when the bladder muscles are either too weak to squeeze all the urine out, or because the nerves around the bladder are damaged and they donâ€™t receive the right messages from the brain about what to do when the bladder is full and empty. This is more common in older men who have an enlarged prostate gland (see topic on Incontinence, urinary). Damage to the nerves can happen during surgery, or because of diabetes or conditions of the nervous system such as multiple sclerosis.

Bladder inflammation (cystitis) can also happen without an infection. It can be caused by exposure to radiation (through radiotherapy) or by a severe allergy. Some people have ongoing (chronic) bladder inflammation, and this syndrome is sometimes called interstitial cystitis. It is not clear whether an infectious agent such as bacteria or viruses causes this, or if it is linked to genetics (inherited characteristics) or another condition.