Pyelonephritis: Loana’s friend Sylvie Ortega is recovering after hospitalization

Having suffered at the end of November from pyelonephritis, for which she was urgently admitted to hospital, Sylvie Ortega gives not very encouraging news about her remaining kidney. Indeed, in addition to this pyelonephritis, the mother of the family also had to deal with the onset of sepsis, which affected her kidney, which would no longer function at 30% of its capacity, according to her.

What is pyelonephritis?

Pyelonephritis is an infectious attack of the kidney tissue, caused by urinary germs present in the bladder. It occurs when a urinary tract infection is not or poorly treated, but also has other causes.

The origin of pyelonephritis can be caused by:

• Reflux, which allows microbes to move up the bladder through the malformed ureters to attach themselves to the kidneys;
• An obstructive malformation, which hinders urinary flow or promotes stagnation of urine;
• The presence of stones;
• Certain bacteria such as E. Coli, which could adhere more than others to the urothelial mucosa.

Thus, the infection, which is first localized in the bladder, then goes up to the kidneys. It then causes pain in the lower back, fever, sweats and chills, nausea and vomiting but above all and burning when urinating and increased urination.

Diagnosis of pyelonephritis

Pyelonephritis is an emergency because the bacteria can irreversibly damage the kidney. The diagnosis is made through a blood test followed by an ultrasound of the urinary tree, performed in an emergency.

Treatment of pyelonephritis

In general, people suffering from pyelonephritis are hospitalized for a few days. They thus benefit from an antibiotic treatment administered intravenously. Subsequently, the antibiotic can also be prescribed orally for about ten days at home. Finally, at a distance from the episode, on average six months later, a new ultrasound will be prescribed to assess the possible sequelae of the infection on the kidney.