<s>[INST] Causes [/INST] Large numbers of bacteria live in the area around the vagina and rectum and also on your skin. Bacteria may get into the urine from the urethra and travel into the bladder. They may even travel up to the kidney. But no matter how far they go, bacteria in the urinary tract can cause problems.

Just as some people are more prone to colds, some people are more prone to UTIs. Women are more likely to get a UTI than men because women have shorter urethras than men, so bacteria have a shorter distance to travel to reach the bladder. Source: Urology Care Foundation. Link: https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/u/urinary-tract-infections-in-adults. Field: Urology. Disease: Urinary Tract Infection  </s>