When a urinary tract infection (UTI) reaches the kidney, the condition becomes known as pyelonephritis or a kidney infection. Typical symptoms of a kidney infection include elevated heart rate, fever, difficulty urinating, pain while urinating, nausea, abdominal pain and fever. Cases which have progressed to a serious level present with symptoms including violent shivering, delirium, low blood pressure and septic shock. Treatment typically centers on the administration of antibiotics aimed at bringing acute symptoms under control. However, if the kidney infection is not diagnosed and treated promptly, complications can occur. These complication eventually lead to renal failure, potentially causing death.
