Comparison of mid catheter collection and suprapubic aspiration of urine for diagnosing bacteriuria due to fastidious micro-organisms.

We examined 40 female patients for the presence of fastidious bacteria in the bladder by culture of mid catheter and suprapubic aspiration urine specimens. Gardnerella vaginalis and Ureaplasma urealyticum were the most frequently isolated fastidious species. The suprapubic aspirate was positive in 3 patients with more than 10(5) colony-forming units per ml. Gardnerella vaginalis and 7 with more than 10(2) colony-forming units per ml. Ureaplasma urealyticum in the mid catheter urine specimen, while it was negative for bacteria in 6 patients with less than 10(4) colony-forming units per ml. coryneform bacilli or lactobacilli in the mid catheter urine specimen. The results show that culture of mid catheter urine samples provides a reasonable guide to the presence of bacteriuria owing to fastidious micro-organisms and can be used when a suprapubic aspiration specimen cannot be obtained easily.