Abstract
One hundred sixty-five children with recurrent bacteriuria were placed on a continuing home culture program with 87% compliance. Parents were taught to obtain clean-catch urines on the first urine of the morning using the urine culture tube technique (Bactercult). They were taught to read the cultures following incubation both at room temperature and in an incubator. Positive cultures (>10 cols./unit area) were repeated. If urines were negative, patients were seen on alternate months; if 2 positive urines were obtained, the patient was returned to clinic for confirmation. Colony counts between 10 and 50 were rarely positive in clinic. When 2 positive urines (>50 cols./unit area) were obtained, confirmation in clinic for significant bacteriuria was 65%. The false positive rate was, therefore, significant. The false negative rate was very low at <4%. There was good agreement between incubator and room temperature for colony growth.
A home culture program can significantly reduce office visits; more than 200 visits were avoided for negative cultures. Cultures can be obtained frequently, conveniently, on the first voided urine of the morning and at low cost to parents. Early diagnosis of an asymptomatic recurrence can be made. The epidemiology of bacteriuria can be studied in the family, and a significant advance in the extension of health care to the community can be made.
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Fennell, R., Garin, E., Austin, S. et al. HOME CULTURE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN WITH RECURRENT BACTERIURIA. Pediatr Res 8, 424 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00504
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00504