 [ Symptoms ] how do you get an e coli based uti infection [ Disease ] i am assuming you are a female since most utis are in females most of the time the e coli that causes a uti is usually from you e coli is the most common pathogen that causes a uti and those germs live in your colon logistically the rectal opening and vaginalurethral opening is a close neighbor it does not take much for those colon germs to make it to the urethra improper wiping sexual intercourse etc