Re: Uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women: culture of urine
Dear Editor
I disagree with the author's comment that where the possibility of UTI is highly likely, urine culture is typically not needed. There are several reasons why culture should be undertaken.
1. The authors recommend antibiotic selection guided by local antibiotic resistance patterns. The local laboratory can only produce this guidance if specimens of urine from patients with uncomplicated UTI are routinely sent for microscopy and culture.
2. If a patient re-presents after apparent recovery and especially if antibiotics have been taken, a second urine culture will indicate whether the infection is a relapse, an inadequately treated antibiotic resistant infection or re-infection with a different pathogen.
3. A negative culture result despite acute dysuria and frequency and pyuria may indicate atypical presentation of other conditions such as chlamydial infection or vaginitis undisclosed at presentation.
4. Urine culture is a relatively cheap diagnostic test. Reducing laboratory expenditure requires collaboration with local microbiologists who are likely to support these suggestions for culture of urine.
Rapid Response:
Re: Uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women: culture of urine
Dear Editor
I disagree with the author's comment that where the possibility of UTI is highly likely, urine culture is typically not needed. There are several reasons why culture should be undertaken.
1. The authors recommend antibiotic selection guided by local antibiotic resistance patterns. The local laboratory can only produce this guidance if specimens of urine from patients with uncomplicated UTI are routinely sent for microscopy and culture.
2. If a patient re-presents after apparent recovery and especially if antibiotics have been taken, a second urine culture will indicate whether the infection is a relapse, an inadequately treated antibiotic resistant infection or re-infection with a different pathogen.
3. A negative culture result despite acute dysuria and frequency and pyuria may indicate atypical presentation of other conditions such as chlamydial infection or vaginitis undisclosed at presentation.
4. Urine culture is a relatively cheap diagnostic test. Reducing laboratory expenditure requires collaboration with local microbiologists who are likely to support these suggestions for culture of urine.
Competing interests: No competing interests