A Rare Case of Recurrent Cystitis in a Primary Care Setting

Abstract

Uncomplicated cystitis is common in women and typically presents with symptoms such as increased urinary frequency, dysuria, suprapubic pain, and urgency. Escherichia coli is the most frequently identified pathogen in these cases. Colovesical fistulas constitute an uncommon etiology of recurrent urinary tract infections, and they are even rarer in women due to the protective barrier provided by the uterus. Faecaluria and pneumaturia are the pathognomonic symptoms of these types of fistulas that help differentiate them from recurrent cystitis. While the gold standard imaging is the abdominopelvic CT scan, in some instances, MRI may be necessary to identify fistulous tracts. This case report describes a scenario of recurrent urinary tract infection caused by a colovesical fistula, in a woman with a history of diverticular disease. In contrast to uncomplicated recurrent cystitis, the treatment of the fistula is surgical. The aim of this article is to raise awareness of this potential and rare cause of recurrent urinary tract infection encountered in a primary healthcare setting, in order to prevent the prescription of multiple cycles of ineffective antibiotic therapy in these patients and the consequent development of antimicrobial resistance, a global public health issue. Our intention is to alert general practitioners about the diagnosis of a rare cause of recurrent cystitis, the treatment of which is surgical and warrants referral to secondary care.

Keywords: colovesical fistula; diverticular disease; escherichia coli; rare etiology; recurrent cystitis.