UTI, the urinary bladder, urethra, and kidney are mostly affected. In Bangladesh, women of reproductive age are more prone to the infection. The public health significance of UTIs extends beyond the individual patient: They interplay with broader issues such as AMR, access to health services, gender, and water/hygiene, making them relevant within the framework of the SDGs.
According to Sarkar et al.(2024), water scarcity and poor water quality can lead to suboptimal menstrual hygiene practices, which in turn may result in urinary tract infections (UTIs) and bacterial vaginosis (BV). Another study shows that in Bangladesh, Gram-positive pathogens were isolated and antimicrobial tests were performed with 1308 urine samples. From a total of 121 samples of Gram-positive bacteria, the highest prevalence rate of UTIs was found in the age group of 21-30 years. Mostly Enterococcus spp. (33.05%) Staphylococcus aureus (27.27%), Streptococcus spp. (20.66%), Beta-hemolytic streptococci (19.00%) were found as causative agents of UTI compared to others. The majority of isolates have been detected as multi-drug resistant (MDR) (Eipa et al., 2023). UTIs are not simply an inconvenience; they may lead to recurrence, kidney involvement, increased cost of care, and sit at the crossroads of infectious disease control and basic infrastructure.