Description

A patient with a urinary tract infection may or may not require a follow-up culture after completion of the antibiotic regimen.


 

Follow-up cultures are not indicated if both of the following are present:

(1) the patient has one of the following:

(1a) asymptomatic bacteriuria

(1b) acute, uncomplicated cystitis

(1c) acute, uncomplicated pyelonephritis

(2) there is an appropriate clinical response to therapy

 

Follow-up cultures are indicated if:

(1) the infection has not responded to therapy

(2) there is a history of recurrent UTI

(3) there is an anatomic or functional abnormality of the urinary tract

(4) there are continued unexplained abnormalities on urinalysis

 

where:

• The presence of an anatomic or functional abnormality of the urinary tract usually indicates a complicated UTI (see sections 23.37.01 and 23.37.02, above).

• The abnormalities in urinalysis were not defined, but I would expect this would include a positive leukocyte esterase, nitrate, pyuria and/or bacteriuria.

 


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