Asymptomatic Bacteriuria – UTI

00:01 So that brings us to our last special category, which is asymptomatic bacteriuria.

00:04 And that's defined by an isolation of a specified quantitative count of a single bacteria.

00:10 So greater than 10 to the 5th colony-forming units per mil.

00:14 Appropriately collected from a urine sample in an individual without symptoms or signs of a urinary tract infection.

00:22 Asymptomatic bacteriuria is more common in women and there is no evidence to support using antibiotics for treatment.

00:31 When we do treat these patients.

00:33 It is associated with the emergence of drug-resistant uropathogens.

00:38 So we really need to be cognizant about looking into the history and making sure that our patients are truly asymptomatic if that's the case they do not warrant treatment.

00:48 There are certain exceptions that we have to think about.

00:50 These are special populations where screening or treatment is warranted.

00:54 That includes pregnancy.

00:56 Recent kidney transplantation.

00:58 Remember those patients are immunosuppressed in their urological anatomy is altered.

01:02 It's very easy for bacteruria to reflux back into that transplanted, kidney.

01:07 And finally, urological procedures that could result in mucosal bleeding.

01:12 Even though that patient is asymptomatic with her bacteruria.

01:15 The risk of infection is high so they would have to be treated.

01:19 So remember if a patient is truly asymptomatic, and they're not included in one of these exceptions then antimicrobial therapy is not warranted in that patient population.

01:31 One of the most important aspects of our job as physicians or care providers in treating infections is to ensure that we are good antimicrobial stewards and we don't add to the creation of multi-drug resistant organisms.

01:46 And with that, that concludes our lecture on urinary tract infection.