How common are urinary tract infections?
Urinary tract infections are more common in girls than in boys.
About 8 in 100 girls get a urinary tract infection by the time they are seven years old.1 The figure for boys is 2 in 100. By the age of 16 about 11 in 100 girls and 4 in 100 boys have had an infection.2
Up to the age of 6 months, boys are more likely to get an infection.3 But after the age of 6 months, girls are much more likely than boys to get a urinary tract infection.
Sources for the information on this page:
- Hellstrom A, Hanson E, Hansson S, et al. Association between urinary symptoms at 7 years old and previous urinary tract infections. Archives of Diseases in Childhood. 1991; 66: 232-234.
- Coulthard MG, Lambert HJ, Keir MJ. Occurrence of renal scars in children after their first referral for urinary tract infection. BMJ. 1997; 315: 918-919. 9361542
- Jakobsson B, Esbjorner E, Hansson S. Minimum incidence and diagnostic rate of first urinary tract infection. Pediatrics. 1999; 104: 222–226. 10428998
This information was last updated in Jun 30, 2008
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This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved. |
