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What is Chronic Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) - Chronic UTI Australia There is very little mainstream awareness or knowledge about chronic UTI. It is unlikely doctors will consider chronic UTI as a possible cause for those with ongoing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) who return negative results on mid-stream urine (MSU) cultures and urinary dipsticks. This page will help you understand the difference between acute and chronic UTI and why tests are mostly incapable of diagnosing a UTI once it has become chronic. A urinary tract infection (UTI), also known as cystitis, chronic urinary tract infection, water infection, kidney infection or pyelonephritis, is an infection occurring anywhere in the urinary tract—from the kidneys to the urethra. A lower UTI involves the bladder and anything below, like the urethra and prostate. An upper UTI involves the urinary system above the bladder, such as the ureters and kidneys (pyelonephritis).