Detection of Urinary Tract Infections in Pregnant Women: Comparison of Methods

Abstract

Several laboratory methods for assessing the presence of bacteria in the urine have been compared. The quantitative streak-plate method showed an outstanding degree of correlation with the standard bacteriological pour-plate method and was considerably less arduous and less expensive to perform. The chief expense continues to arise from the procedure of collecting aseptically noncatheterized urine specimens from women. At present no way to curtail this expense is apparent. Justification for a relatively expensive detection procedure such as the quantitative, noncatheterized urine culture obviously depends not only on the wide prevalence of bacteriuria in some populations but also on its recognized deleterious effect on mother and fetus. Considerable evidence now available also indicates that asymptomatic bacteriuria is frequent and potentially dangerous in adult women whether or not they are pregnant.