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Common bacteria that live in your bowel are the common cause. Some bacteria from your bowel may travel up your urethra and cause infection anywhere in the urinary tract - that is, the kidneys, bladder, prostate, or urethra. Urine infection with cystitis (bladder infection) is the common 'urinary tract infection'. However, a prostate infection may occur with or without other parts of the urinary tract being infected. Some conditions that cause pooling or blockage of urine increase the risk of a 'urinary tract infection' (eg enlarged prostate, kidney stones, etc.). This is because bacteria often thrive and multiply quickly in pooled urine.

Less common causes:
* Damage to the prostate makes it more prone to infection, eg after prostate surgery.
* A catheter passed into the bladder may sometimes let bacteria travel to the prostate.
* Sometimes the prostate is infected by bacteria from blood that has travelled from other infections in the body.
* Sexually transmitted infection is a rare cause of prostatitis.

Do I need any tests?

• A urine test will usually detect bacteria in acute prostatitis.
• In chronic bacterial prostatitis, urine does not usually contain bacteria. To confirm chronic bacterial prostatitis, a sample of fluid ('secretions') from the prostate may be collected. To do this, a doctor can gently massage your prostate with a gloved finger in your rectum. By doing this, fluid from the prostate is pushed out into the urethra and comes out from the penis to be collected and tested for bacteria. If bacteria are found, it confirms that symptoms are due to an infection, and not to non-infective prostatitis.
• Tests such as x-rays or scans may be advised following acute prostatitis. This is to rule out any problem with your urinary tract that may have contributed to causing a urine infection.

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