Urinary and Genital Disorders (Children)

Culture urine

04/21/2008 01:24AM

Question:

My son took a urinary test and it says.. pus cell 5-8, RBC 4-6, Bacteria (Few), AmU-rates (Few)... He already took CEFUROXIME (antibiotic) for a week.. after that, he took another urine test and it says... pus cell 2-4, RBC 0-2, Bacteria (few), AM.U-rates(moderate)... Does this mean my son`s urine reached the normal level already? Or he has to undergo the CULTURE SENSITIVITY TEST still?

Answer:

Generally antibiotics are not administered unless the culture is positive. The first urinalysis was not strongly positive, with few bacteria, and I doubt that the culture would have been positive. If he is uncircumcised, then the foreskin may contaminate the urine and cause white blood cells and bacteria to appear in the urine.
If he has symptoms of a UTI, such as burning with urination, malodorous urine, and/or incontinence, I would have a urine culture done. Otherwise, I would not.

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Response by:

Jack S Elder, MD, FACS, FAAP
Chief of Pediatric Urology
Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital
Professor and Vice Chairman
Department of Urology
University Hospitals
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University