US and European guidance recommends updated classifications for UTI in men
Updated guidelines for the classification of UTI have been published in 2025 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the European Association of Urology (EAU) to reflect a shift from the traditional “uncomplicated” and “complicated” to one that no longer automatically defines UTI in men as complicated.
The IDSA now defines all uncomplicated UTIs, in both men and women, as an infection confined to the bladder, while all complicated UTIs in both sexes are those that extend beyond the bladder; thus treating male UTIs based on the extent of infection, rather than labeling all as complicated. The IDSA felt this update was needed to better align with clinical practice and to become more congruent with the available data on male UTI. The prior version of the IDSA UTI guidelines omitted UTI in men from their recommendations but given the aging US population it was recognised that UTI in men is a salient issue, and that evidence to support guidance for this population has improved.
The EAU has also moved away from the terms “uncomplicated” or “complicated” in its most recent guidance, and now proposes classification of UTIs in both sexes as either “localized” (cystitis) or “systemic” (involving fever or other systemic signs of infection).
Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- dysuria
- urgency
- frequency
- suprapubic pain
- costovertebral angle pain
Other diagnostic factors
- hesitancy
- nocturia
- tender prostate
- rectal/perineal pain
- fever/rigors
- urethral discharge
Risk factors
- benign prostatic hypertrophy
- bladder stones
- urologic surgery, instrumentation
- urethral strictures
- age >50 years
- previous urinary tract infection (UTI)
- catheterization
- anal sex
- vaginal sex
- uncircumcised
Diagnostic tests
1st tests to order
- dipstick urinalysis (U/A)
- urine microscopy
- urine culture
- Gram stain
Tests to consider
- CT renal tract
- ultrasound
Treatment algorithm
asymptomatic bacteriuria before urologic procedure
not severe and tolerating oral therapy
severe or not tolerating oral therapy
Contributors
Authors
Rashmi S. Licht, MD
Clinical Associate Professor
Department of Surgery (Urology)
Brown University
Providence
RI
Disclosures
RSL declares that she has no competing interests.
Acknowledgements
Dr Rashmi S. Licht would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Timothy J. Benton, previous contributor to this topic.
Disclosures
TJB declares that he has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Catherine DuBeau, MD
Professor of Medicine
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Lebanon
NH
Disclosures
CD is a member of the American Geriatrics Society Revision Panel for the Beers criteria for potentially inappropriate medications in older persons; planning committee, speaker, and manuscript co-author for the American Urogynecological Association State of the Science on OAB and cognition; and co-investigator, RELIEF trial (botulinum toxin for refractory overactive bladder in older women, funded by PCORI.
Richard Viken, MD
Professor of Family Medicine and Chairman of the Department of Family Medicine
University of Texas Health Sciences Center
Tyler
TX
Disclosures
RV declares that he has no competing interests.
Robert Pickard, MD, FRCS (Urol)
Professor of Urology
Institute of Cellular Medicine
Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
UK
Disclosures
RP declares that he has no competing interests.
Peer reviewer acknowledgements
BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.
Disclosures
Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.
References
Key articles
Infectious Diseases Society of America. Complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI): clinical guidelines for treatment and management. 2025 [internet publication].Full text
European Association of Urology. Guidelines on urological infections. Mar 2025 [internet publication].Full text
Nicolle LE, Gupta K, Bradley SF, et al. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria: 2019 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis. 2019 May 2;68(10):e83-e110.Full text Abstract
Reference articles
A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
Differentials
- Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)
- Prostatitis
- Pyelonephritis
More DifferentialsGuidelines
- Complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI): clinical guidelines for treatment and management
- Guidelines on urological infections
More GuidelinesPatient information
Urinary tract infections in men
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