Bacteriuria in the Catheterized Patient

Abstract

We studied 110 catheterized patients to determine the concentration of microorganisms that would indicate infection in urine aspirated from an indwelling urethral catheter. High-level bacteriuria or candiduria (>10⁵ colony-forming units per milliliter) developed in 34 patients. However, low-level bacteriuria or candiduria (5 organisms per milliliter), which developed in 41 patients, progressed to concentrations above 10⁵ organisms per milliliter 96 per cent of the time (Ps organisms per milliliter may be clinically and epidemiologically important in this setting. (N Engl J Med 1984; 311:560–4.)