Bacteriuria in urine indicates the presence of bacteria, which is usually a sign of a urinary tract infection. Symptoms include pain and frequent urination. Pregnant women and those with kidney transplants should be screened and treated. Cranberry juice and probiotic dairy products may help prevent UTIs.
Bacteriuria indicates the presence of bacteria in the urine. Normally, urine is sterile and contains no bacteria, so if it is present in a sample that has been caught cleanly, this is typically an indication of a urinary tract infection. Often, such an infection produces symptoms such as burning when urinating and a frequent need to urinate. There are also cases of bacteriuria that lack symptoms. Many times these can be left untreated, but pose a health risk to people who have had a kidney transplant or pregnant women.
Urinary tract infections can normally be detected by dipping a specialized test stick into a urine sample, to check for nitrite. This can also be done by examining the urine under a microscope. The standard method of identifying these infections is a urine test which involves taking a little urine onto a medium known as agar. If bacteria are present, they will grow and form colonies. If the number of colonies formed is greater than a certain threshold, a diagnosis of bacteriuria is confirmed.
The most common organism that causes a urinary tract infection is Escherichia coli. This bacterium is found in the human intestinal system and is excreted in feces. It is very easy for women to accidentally get E. coli contamination of the urinary tract.
Symptoms of bacteriuria include pain when urinating, a frequent feeling of needing to urinate, and problems with urinating. Often, this disease shows no symptoms and is therefore known as asymptomatic bacteriuria. It is more common in women than men and can occur in healthy people. This condition is often seen in people who use urinary catheters. It often doesn’t hurt and usually doesn’t need to be treated with antibiotics.
Many different types of bacteria, in addition to E coli, can be involved in cases of asymptomatic bacteriuria. Some of this variability may be due to whether the person is in a hospital or nursing home. For example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa can cause opportunistic infections, particularly among people who have urinary catheters in such a care facility.
People with certain pre-existing conditions are prone to developing kidney infections when they develop UTIs without symptoms. Such conditions include diabetes, pregnancy, infected kidney stones, advanced age, and a kidney transplant. If discovered and treated early, the prognosis can be good. It is possible for the infection to lead to a loss of kidney function, particularly if you have had a kidney transplant.
Experts advise screening and treatment of pregnant women and those who have had a kidney transplant. In other cases, there is no evidence that antibiotic treatment improves the outcome. Such treatment can also increase the risk of spreading bacteria due to antibiotic resistance in the community.
It may be possible to help prevent UTIs by drinking cranberry or cranberry juice. These juices have been shown to prevent bacteria from binding to cells in the urinary tract. More recent research suggests that dairy products that contain probiotic bacteria may also have such an effect.
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