title: Bacteriuria in spinal cord injured patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction.
abstract: The occurrence of bacteriuria in spinal cord injured patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction who used clean intermittent catheterisation to empty their bladders was studied in order to examine cut-off concentration breakpoints for significant bacteriuria in this group of patients using procedures of the European Urinanalysis Guideline. 344 samples were cultured, yielding 285 isolates. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (27%), Enterococci (25%), Klebsiella spp (19%), and Escherichia coli (12%) were the most common findings. Bacteria grew at concentrations of 10(5)-10(8) cfu/L, but only a few at 10(4) cfu/L. It is concluded that low bacterial concentrations in the urine (10(5) cfu/L) of patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction who are on intermittent catheterisation might be as significant for bladder contamination with bacteria as a high bacterial concentration and can possibly be responsible for bladder infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Division of Clinical Microbiology, Linköpings universitet, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ertzgaard
authors.forename: Urban
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Forsum
mesh_terms: D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000382:microbiology*; D002404:Catheterization; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D006095:Gram-Positive Cocci / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D001750:Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology