Number of bacteria in urine sample (per ml) to label it as significant bacteriuria is: March 2011, September 2012

Ans. D: 100,000/ ml Kass and other investigators have established that in the presence of active infection in the urinary tract, the urine will contain 1,00,000 bacteria or more per ml. This level is therefore considered to represent significant bacteriuria Significant bacteriuria In quantitative cultures, midstream urine samples will give a biphasic distribution of colonies, most specimens containing either less than 10,000 or more than 100,000 bacteria or more per ml. Kass and other investigators have established that in the presence of active infection in the urinary tract, the urine will contain 100,000 bacteria or more per ml. This level is therefore considered to represent significant bacteriuria Count of 10,000 bacteria or less per ml are due to contamination during voiding and are of no significance In patients on antibacterial or diuretic drugs and with some bacteria like Staph. Aureus, even low counts ma be significant.