Week 4 Flashcards
(173 cards)
What bacteria are usually present in the urine?
None- it is sterile.
What part of the urinary tract has bacteria?
The lower end of the urethra is colonised by coliforms and enterococci from the bowel.
What is the definition of a UTI?
The presence of micro-organisms in the urinary tract that are causing clinical infection (PATIENT MUST HAVE SYMPTOMS TO HAVE A UTI)
Upper UTI
Infection involving the kidneys (pyelonephritis) and/or ureters
Lower UTI
Infection involving the bladder (cystitis) and/or urethra.
What is a complicated UTI?
UTI complicated by systemic sepsis or urinary structural abnormality or stones.
Bacteruria
The presence of bacteria in the urine (does not mean infection especially with elderly patients or patients with catheters)
Cystitis?
Inflammation of the bladder (not always due to infection)
Why do more women get UTI’s than men?
Short, wide urethra
Proximity of urethra to anus
Increased risk with sexual activity and pregnancy.
What makes you more susceptible to UTI’s?
Women
Catheterisation
Congenital abnormalities of the urinary tract.
What is the most common route of infection?
Ascending infection- bacteria from the bowel enters the urethra and goes up.
How else (not ascending infection) can you get a UTI?
Haematogenous spread- patient with bacteraemia/septicaemia from another focus of infection
Bacteria in blood- seeded in the kidneys- multiple small abscesses- urine bacteria.
What are coliforms?
A class of bacteria found in the gut.
Causative coliforms for UTI?
E coli- main one (70%)
Klebsiella and enterobacter also.
Proteus is less common.
What is proteus infection in urinary tract associated with?
Formation of stones (calculi). Also foul smelling.
What does proteus produce?
Produces urease which breaks down urea to form ammonia which increases urinary pH and precipitation of salts.
What are enterococci and which enterococci cause UTI’s?
They are a type of streptococci found in the gut.
Commonly enterococci faecalis and enterococcus faecium.
What UTI infection are women of childbearing age likely to get?
Staphylococcus saphrophiticus (coagulase negative staph)
What other type of staph (other than saphrophiticus) can cause UTI’s?
staph aureus.
Which causative organism of a UTI is associated with catheters and instrumentation?
Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
What symptoms do UTI’s present with?
Dysuria
Frequency of urination/nocturia
haematuria
What symptoms suggest an upper UTI?
Loin pain
Fever
Rigors.
Describe the precautions you should take when obtaining a specimen for microscopy?
Do not take the first pass urine- likely to be contaminated. You want a midstream sample.
Get the urine to the lab within 2 hours if it is in a universal bottle or within 24 hours if it is in a boricon container.
What does leukocyte esterase in the urine tell you?
Indicates the presence of leukocytes (WBC)
However you can have an increased number of pus cells in the urine in non-uTI patients e.g. those with a catheter in.