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We don't know exactly how many people get kidney infections. There hasn't been much research.

In the United States, researchers think that about 3 in 1,000 people get a kidney infection each year.¹

Kidney infections affect people of all ages. But there are some differences between men and women that affect how likely you are to get a kidney infection.

• In babies up to one year old, kidney infections are most common in boys. But after that, girls are 10 times more likely to get them than boys.²
• In adults, kidney infections are more common in women up to the age of 65. After this age, men catch up, because prostate problems increase older men's risk of kidney infections.³
• Women with a kidney infection are about five times more likely than men to need treatment in a hospital.⁴
• Pregnant women are particularly likely to get kidney infections. About 2 in 100 pregnant women get a kidney infection.⁵

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.