[Use of MPO chromogenic culture medium for routine processing of urine cultures].

BACKGROUND

The chromogenic culture medium, MPO, was compared to culture on CLED (cystein, lactose, electrolyte-deficient) agar for the detection, enumeration and identification of urinary tract pathogens.

METHODS

A total of 1,080 clinical urine specimens were assessed. All samples were inoculated in MPO and CLED using the calibrated loop method.

RESULTS

Among 145 positive urine samples, 171 strains of bacteria were isolated (111 Escherichia coli, 26 Enterococcus spp., 12 Proteus spp., 10 Enterobacteriaceae from the Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia group, 5 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 4 Streptococcus agalactiae, 3 Staphylococcus spp. and 4 Candida albicans. For all samples, enumeration of microorganisms was comparable with the two media studied. Identification was also similar, except for 6 cases in which Enterococcus spp. were only detected with the chromogenic medium.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall urine culture results with MPO chromogenic medium were similar to those obtained with CLED, making it a feasible alternative to the standard medium. Moreover, use of a chromogenic technique implies a significant reduction in workload, since additional tests to identify the microorganisms isolated are not needed in most cases.