Fungi in urine: what they are and what their presence indicates
Urinary infections, both bacterial and fungal in the urine , are quite common in the population, especially females who are more susceptible due to the constitution of the urinary tract.
In fact, in women, the urethra is much shorter than in men, so pathogens reach the bladder much more easily, creating infections. But it is not only due to a morphological difference that women are more prone to developing urinary tract infections.
In today’s guide we will talk specifically about the presence of fungi in the urine , since we have already told you about the presence of bacteria in the urine in an in-depth guide that you can read here . If your urine report has resulted in positive fungi then this guide can help you understand the meaning of the presence of these microorganisms .
Why can fungi infect our urine?
Urinary infections, statistically, mostly affect women who, in the course of their lives, also find themselves facing important periods such as pregnancy as well as being affected by a not exactly favorable anatomy.
In fact, the vaginal mucosa is populated by microorganisms which together form a highly organized microenvironment, where the “good bacteria” constantly keep the “bad bacteria and fungi” at bay.
However, when the population of good organisms decreases for various causes, such as when a broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy is faced, the pathogenic microorganisms are free to express themselves, causing annoyances and pathologies. Most of the time these are bacterial infections, but there are occasions when the cause of the problems is caused by the presence of fungi .
The difference in sex is not the only parameter to keep in mind to quantify the possibility of a subject developing a problem of this type. Patients forced to carry the bladder catheter , or who have a urostomy, can experience urinary infections. In these cases, the personnel involved in the disinfection of these patients must pay particular attention, in order to guarantee maximum hygiene.
There are also cases in which pathologies such as diabetes, AIDS, immunological diseases can predispose patients to develop infections of all kinds and therefore the presence of fungi in the urine or bacteria is a very recurring situation.
How does a yeast infection develop?
In general, the colonization of the urinary tract by fungi is often the result of a systemic infection, in healthy men and with proper intimate hygiene.
The fungus most responsible for urinary infections is Candida , although other fungi can cause systemic urinary infections, which spread through the blood.
The most common site of infection, both bacterial and fungal, is the bladder, where cystitis develops as a result of infestation. This can be explained by the fact that it is, together with the urethra, the part of the urinary system closest to the outside, and therefore easily accessible by pathogens coming from outside and from the genital mucous membranes.
Candidiasis in the upper urinary tract is rarer and the result of an infection whose starting point is located in a distant site from the urinary one, but which could reach the kidneys through the bloodstream. This occurrence can be observed in patients with a predisposition determined by other concomitant problems or in strongly immunosuppressed patients such as those affected by AIDS.
What are the symptoms of the presence of fungi in the urine?
Although fungal infections are often asymptomatic, especially in healthy subjects, if Candida has infected the bladder, cystitis develops and the symptoms are extreme urgency and frequency in urination , which often becomes very annoying and difficult to manage. In fact, patients may complain of a burning sensation or mild pain in the pelvic area.
As far as renal candidiasis is concerned, we do not have any symptoms concerning this district, but being a systemic type infection, one can have a very high fever, which is resistant to antibiotic therapy (in fact, remember that antibiotics do not cure fungal infections such as Candida).
How to diagnose fungi in urine?
Distinguishing a Candida colonization from an infection, when it comes to the urinary tract, is not very simple. This is documented by various studies carried out over time, and is still a problem being researched today. This difficulty can probably be explained by the fact that the majority of candida infections in the urinary tract are asymptomatic, or cause minor ailments that are often overlooked as they are also extremely temporary.
In any case, as already mentioned above, there are some subjects towards which greater attention is paid, as there are predisposing factors.
In any case, the tools to diagnose this pathology are:
- Urine culture , a diagnostic test that allows to establish a possible urine contamination, as well as to analyze the bacterial and fungal composition;
- Chemical-physical tests which aim to evaluate the alteration of parameters such as pH and color which can help in the diagnosis.
In fact, if only the presence of Candida is found and not obvious morphological modifications, it can be said that this fungus has only colonized the urinary tract without therefore having become pathogenic.
In the most serious cases, mycotic agglomerates can form which can be found through the urine test, and hematuria (presence of blood in the urine) can also occur .
Therapy
Candidiasis can be asymptomatic and therefore does not require drug treatment. In fact, it is the organism itself that develops defenses to neutralize the pathogen.
In cases where symptoms of the presence of fungi in the urine occur and in patients with particular problems or concomitant pathologies, the treatment involves the use of antifungal drugs such as:
- Amphotericin B which is used locally through bladder irrigations in case the state of the disease is not particularly serious or at a systemic level for the most serious cases. The recommended dose is 0.5 mg per day for a maximum treatment duration of two weeks;
- Fluconazole is used for fungi sensitive to this type of active ingredient. It can be administered both intravenously and orally. The duration of therapy is generally between 7 and 14 days, without exceeding two weeks in any case.
The use of flucytosine, another antifungal, is not recommended as numerous studies state that there is a possibility that fungi will become resistant to therapy.
The ones listed above are just examples of drugs that can be used: as always, the doctor will decide the best treatment for your case after having carried out an accurate assessment of the case.
The pharmacological approach must be accompanied by good hygiene, especially if you find yourself in the condition where you are forced to use a urinary catheter.
Furthermore, it is advisable to use lactic ferments during antibiotic therapies in order to prevent the impoverishment of the intestinal bacterial flora and of the various mucous membranes of the organism. This will help prevent future bacterial and fungal infections.
Learn more by reading:
She defines herself as curious by nature. In 2006 she graduated with honors in Biotechnology at the Sapienza University of Rome. Between 2005 and 2009, she carried out a university internship and research activity in the field of tumor immunotherapy. She is a co-author of three scientific publications. Since 2007 you have associated your passion for science with that for the web, starting the management of the FitnessEquilibrium.com project.