Bedside diagnosis of urinary infection. A pilot study.

Early recognition of catheter-associated urinary infection is essential to proper management. Daily bacteriological monitoring of indwelling catheters by routine urine culture is expensive and time consuming. A pilot study using liquid media at room temperature incubation showed a sensitivity approximating 90 percent in detecting bacteriuria. A simplified screening test can be carried out daily at the bedside; a positive screen would be followed by standard bacteriological studies. Such a method permits earlier diagnosis, and results in great saving in cost as well.