Bacteriuria and Urinary-Tract Infections in Hospitalized Patients

Abstract

SIGNIFICANT bacteriuria, defined as more than 100,000 pathogenic bacteria per milliliter of urine, has been a surprisingly frequent finding in surveys of ward and clinic patients of a city hospital in the absence of symptomatic infection of the urinary tract.1 , 2 An association of asymptomatic bacteriuria with pyelonephritis has been considered.2 The correlation of bacteriuria in bladder urine with unsuspected, active pyelonephritis at autopsy3 and the finding of asymptomatic bacteriuria before acute pyelonephritis of pregnancy4 suggest asymptomatic bacteriuria and pyelonephritis are related.Quantitative urine cultures are now performed in many hospital laboratories to assist the physician in the detection of bacteriuria. . . .