ANYONE who’s ever had a UTI will wince at the memory. That insistent need to pee and the excruciating burning sensation that follows once you do is hard for most to forget. 3 Left untreated, UTIs could put you at risk of sepsis Credit: Alamy 3 Erin Montgomery, 24, was left fighting for her life in hospital after an infection spread from her urinary tract to her bloodstream Credit: Sepsis Research.
UTIs are often associated with young women and having lots of sex. So much so, that it's are sometimes dubbed ‘honeymoon cystitis’ - but they really can affect anyone regardless of age, or gender. Nearly half of women and 20 per cent of men will experience a urinary tract infection (UTI) at some point in their lives.
Not only are UTIs painful, but they can also be dangerous, sometimes leading to sepsis - a potentially fatal condition. Read more on UTIs TERRIFYING TWIST Woman, 24, left fighting for life after 'harmless' UTI took over her body UN-PEE-LIEVABLE 'Groundbreaking' new vaccine 'stops agonising UTIs for nine years' Sepsis happens when the body attacks itself in reaction to an infection, such as pneumonia and Covid. It has a mortality rate of over 40 per cent, and research shows that around 25 per cent of sepsis cases begin as UTIs.
This happens because bacteria from the urinary tract can easily enter the bloodstream. Older women, already at higher risk for sepsis, are particularly vulnerable. Most read in Health DESPERATE PLEA I've got FIVE-STONE growth hanging off my .
