Urinary Tract Infection

Acceptability at Recruitment

ACCEPTABLE

Acceptability at VT / Work-Up

ACCEPTABLE

Individual at risk

Donor

Explanation of Condition

Urinary tract infections (UTI's) affect the urinary tract, including the bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection). UTI's may be treated with antibiotics, but they're not always needed. Symptoms of a UTI may include: • pain or a burning sensation when peeing (dysuria) • needing to urinate more often than usual • needing to urinate more often than usual during the night (nocturia) • needing to urinate suddenly or more urgently than usual • passing urine that looks cloudy • blood in the urine • lower tummy pain or pain in a person’s back, just under the ribs • a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery • a very low temperature below 36C

Guidance

If a donor has a positive bacteraemia from the urine culture at medical and are asymptomatic, they should not be prescribed antibiotics to treat asymptomatic bacteriuria (NICE 2023). Donors should be advised to inform the DP team if they do develop any urinary symptoms as soon as possible. The TC should be informed of the positive urine culture result and that the donor is asymptomatic and won’t be treated.

If a donor has a positive bacteraemia from the urine culture at medical and are symptomatic, they recommended antibiotics should be requested via their GP as soon as possible. The donor can donate seven days from completing systemic antibiotics (insert link to ‘infection, acute’ page). A repeat urine MC&S sample may be required (depending on the CC) before being medically cleared to donate. Caution should be taken with donors experiencing multiple/ recurrent UTI’s. Additional information is needed such as: • how often they have UTIs • are under Urology or are being investigated for an underlying cause • are they have been admitted to hospital with a UTI previously A decision can be made on an individual basis based on that information. Please refer the MO team. For proteinuria, please also see proteinuria. For haematuria, please also see haematuria.

Pseudonyms or Related Conditions

UTI

Version

Version 1, Edition 1

Date of Last Update 15/09/2025

References

1) NICE: Urinary tract infections in adults.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs90/chapter/Quality-statement-3-Antibiotic-treatment-for-asymptomatic-bacteriuria-in-men-and-non-pregnant-women

2) NHS website: Urinary Tract Infections: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-tract-infections-utis/