Urinary Tract - Prostatitis

The term prostatitis refers, in its strictest sense, to histological (microscopic) inflammation of the tissue of the prostate gland, although it is loosely (and confusingly) used to describe several completely different conditions. To remedy this, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) devised a new classification system in 1999, comprising four categories of prostatitis:

1. Acute prostatitis is a serious bacterial infection of the prostate gland. This infection is a medical emergency. It should be distinguished from other forms of prostatitis such as chronic bacterial prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). Men with this disease often have chills, fever, pain in the lower back and genital area, urinary frequency and urgency often at night, burning or painful urination, body aches, and a demonstrable infection of the urinary tract, as evidenced by white blood cells and bacteria in the urine. Acute prostatitis may be a complication of prostate biopsy.[
2. Chronic bacterial prostatitis is a bacterial infection of the prostate gland. It should be distinguished from other forms of prostatitis such as acute bacterial prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). Chronic bacterial prostatitis is a relatively rare condition — occurs in less than 5% of patients with prostate-related non-BPH lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) — that usually presents with an intermittent UTI-type picture and that is defined as recurrent urinary tract infections in men originating from a chronic infection in the prostate.
3. Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CP/CPPS) should be distinguished from other forms of prostatitis such as chronic bacterial prostatitis and acute bacterial prostatitis.Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is characterised by pelvic or perineal pain without evidence of urinary tract infection,[6] lasting longer than 3 months,[7] as the key symptom. Symptoms may wax and wane. Pain can range from mild discomfort to debilitating. Pain may radiate to back and rectum, making sitting difficult.
4. Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis is a symptomless microscopic condition of the prostate gland. It should be distinguished from other forms of prostatitis such as chronic bacterial prostatitis, acute bacterial prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). These patients have no history of genitourinary pain complaints, but leukocytosis is noted, usually during evaluation for other conditions. Diagnosis is through tests of semen, EPS or prostate tissue that reveal inflammation in the absence of symptoms.

Source: Wikipedia