Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison	Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z

Tuberculosis in the kidney	Anatomical landmarks, back view	Anatomical landmarks, side view	Kidney anatomy
Kidney - blood and urine flow

---

Overview	Symptoms	Treatment	Prevention

---

Kidney infection (pyelonephritis)

Alternative Names

Urinary tract infection - complicated; Infection - kidney; Complicated urinary tract infection; Pyelonephritis

Symptoms

• Flank pain or back pain
• Severe abdominal pain (occurs occasionally)
• Fever
  • Higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Persists for more than 2 days
• Chills with shaking
• Warm skin
• Flushed or reddened skin
• Moist skin (diaphoresis)
• Vomiting, nausea
• Fatigue
• General ill feeling
• Urination, painful
• Increased urinary frequency or urgency
• Need to urinate at night (nocturia)
• Cloudy or abnormal urine color
• Blood in the urine
• Foul or strong urine odor
• Mental changes or confusion *

* Sometimes in the elderly, mental changes or confusion are the only signs of a urinary tract infection.

Exams and Tests

An examination may show tenderness onpalpation (pressing) over the kidney.

• A urinalysis commonly reveals white blood cells (WBCs) or red blood cells (RBCs).
• A urine culture (clean catch) or urine culture (catheterized specimen) may reveal bacteria in the urine.
• A blood culture may show an infection.
• An intravenous pyelogram (IVP) or CT scan of the abdomen may show enlarged kidneys with poor flow of dye through the kidneys. (IVP and CT scan of the abdomen can also indicate underlying disorders.)

Underlying abnormalities of the kidney predisposing a patient to acute pyelonephritis may be discovered by additional other tests and procedures, including the following:

• Voiding cystourethrogram
• Renal ultrasound
• Renal scan
• Renal biopsy

Review Date: 7/8/2004
Reviewed By: Daniel Levy, M.D., Ph.D., Infectious Diseases, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

_{The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.}