A kidney infection — also called pyelonephritis — is a type of urinary tract infection (UTI) that usually begins in your bladder and travels to your kidneys. Bacteria are the most common cause of kidney infections and they are treated with antibiotics.
If you have a kidney infection, UPMC experts will provide personalized care. Their goal is to provide fast treatment that relieves your symptoms and reduces your risk of complications.
A kidney infection — also called pyelonephritis — is a type of urinary tract infection (UTI) that usually begins in your bladder and travels to your kidneys. Bacteria are the most common cause of kidney infection and they are treated with antibiotics.
Most kidney infections are caused by bacteria, but they can also be caused by viruses. Kidney infections typically start in the bladder, which is in the lower part of your urinary tract, and travel to one or both kidneys in your upper urinary tract.
You may be at higher risk of developing a kidney infection if you:
If left untreated, kidney infections can cause:
Hospitalization and even death can occur in rare cases.
Kidney infections are caused by bacteria that travel from the bladder to the kidneys. Preventing bladder infections may reduce your risk of kidney infections.
You may be able to reduce your risk of bladder and kidney infections by:
Kidney infections affect one in 2,000 people in the U.S. each year and are a common cause of hospital visits for UTIs. Females tend to be at a higher risk for developing kidney infections than men.
In adults and children, kidney infection may cause:
A fever may be the only symptom of a kidney infection in very young children.
Kidney infection may not cause typical symptoms in older people, making it a challenge to diagnose.
Older people with a kidney infection may have:
If left untreated, kidney infections can be painful and cause serious complications. If you have symptoms of a kidney infection, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor right away.
Untreated kidney infections can cause serious complications and are usually treated with antibiotics. If you have symptoms, see your doctor immediately.
Your doctor will perform a physical exam, talk to you about your health history, and order tests to diagnose a kidney infection.
During your visit, your doctor will:
Your doctor may order urine tests, including:
Other less common tests include:
Kidney infections can be serious if left untreated. Although at-home kidney infection tests are available, you should see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment.
Most people respond well to antibiotic therapy and recover completely from kidney infections. However, some may need more than one round of antibiotics or develop recurrent infections. In rare cases, untreated kidney infections may cause permanent kidney damage.
The goal of kidney infection treatment is to provide fast treatment that relieves symptoms and reduces your risk of complications.
Treatment options may include:
Lifestyle changes alone are not enough to treat a kidney infection. However, lifestyle changes may help to prevent future kidney infections.
Your doctor may recommend:
Your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics to treat your kidney infection. You may need to take antibiotics for a few days or weeks. It’s important to take all your antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor to make sure your infection is completely gone.
Antibiotics are typically the best treatment for kidney infection. The best type of antibiotic is based on urine culture results.
Options include:
If you have a severe kidney infection and oral antibiotics aren’t helping your symptoms, you may need to be admitted to the hospital so you can receive intravenous (IV) antibiotics.
If you have an enlarged prostate, kidney stone, or another urinary tract condition causing your kidney infections, your doctor may recommend surgery or another treatment to reduce your risk of future kidney infections.
When you choose UPMC for kidney infection care, you will receive:
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-04-24 by Cary Shiwarski, MD, PhD.
