Signs and symptoms

UTIs affect the urinary tract, including the bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection), and have a variety of symptoms including:

• Pain or a burning sensation when urinating (dysuria)
• Needing to urinate more often than usual, including during the night (nocturia)
• Needing to urinate suddenly or more urgently than usual
• Urine that looks cloudy, dark and/or smells
• Blood in the urine (haematuria)
• Lower tummy pain, or back pain just under the ribs
• A high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
• A very low temperature below 36°C.

Children with UTIs may also:

• Have a high temperature
• Appear generally unwell – babies and young children may be irritable and not feed or eat properly
• Wet the bed or wet themselves
• Be sick.

UTIs can also present in older or frail people who are living with memory or learning challenges, and anyone who has a urinary catheter. In these cases, symptoms of a UTI may also include:

• Changes in behaviour, such as acting agitated or confused (delirium)
• Incontinence that is worse than usual
• New shivering or shaking (rigors).