Chromogenic urinary tract infection medium: evaluation and introduction for routine urine culture in a large clinical microbiology laboratory.
Evaluation and introduction of a chromogenic urinary tract infection (UTI) medium for the primary culture of routine urine specimens in a very large clinical microbiology laboratory is described. A modified scheme for the direct identification of the main groups of organisms causing UTI has led to quality improvements, with enhanced discrimination of mixed cultures and in efficiencies in staffing and working time that counterbalance increases in media costs. These improvements, together with the concurrent introduction of boric acid preservative for specimens from general practice, significantly reduced the level of positive results by 4.6% (2383 specimens) over an eight-month period (P <0.001). Chromogenic medium provided a reliable alternative to CLED medium for the routine culture of urine specimens.
Baker
M
M
Public Health Laboratory, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
Cheetham
P
P
Shing
J
J
Yau
N
N
D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001888:Boric Acids; D002863:Chromogenic Compounds; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans
D001888:Boric Acids; D002863:Chromogenic Compounds; D003470:Culture Media; C032688:boric acid