Urinary tract infections in children.

A five-year review of pediatric patients with urinary tract infections shows that absolute colony counts are not satisfactory as the sole criterion for urinary tract infection. Prior to culture results, patients can be treated empirically if the urine is nitrite-positive or if there is more than an occasional organism per high power field on unspun urine. In this series, no diagnostic or therapeutic benefit resulted from localizing studies. Patients with enuresis and infection should undergo radiologic evaluation for an anatomic abnormality.