Don't obtain a urine culture unless there are clear signs and symptoms that localize to the urinary tract.

Rationale and Comments

Chronic asymptomatic bacteriuria is frequent in the long-term care setting, with prevalence as high as 50%. A positive urine culture in the absence of localized urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms (i.e., dysuria, frequency, urgency) is of limited value in identifying whether a patient’s symptoms are caused by a UTI. Colonization (a positive bacterial culture without signs or symptoms of a localized UTI) is a common problem in long-term care facilities that contributes to the overuse of antibiotic therapy in this setting, leading to an increased risk of diarrhea, resistant organisms and infection due to Clostridium difficile. An additional concern is that the finding of asymptomatic bacteriuria may lead to an erroneous assumption that a UTI is the cause of an acute change of status, hence failing to detect or delaying the more timely detection of the patient’s more serious underlying problem. A patient with advanced dementia may be unable to report urinary symptoms. In this situation, it is reasonable to obtain a urine culture if there are signs of systemic infection such as fever (increase in temperature of equal to or greater than 2°F [1.1°C] from baseline) leukocytosis, or a left shift or chills in the absence of additional symptoms (e.g., new cough) to suggest an alternative source of infection.

Sponsoring Organizations

American Medical Directors Association

Sources

Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines

Disciplines

Infectious disease
Urologic

References

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