title: Is a chlorhexidine reaction test better than dipsticks to detect asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy?
abstract: Detection of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in pregnancy is important to avert the attendant morbidities. Therefore, we assessed the use of chlorhexidine reaction to detect ASB in pregnancy. This was a prospective study, which compared chlorhexidine reaction with dipstick tests and urine culture in 150 asymptomatic pregnant women. Urine cultures detected bacteriuria in seven women (4.7%). Chlorhexidine detected ASB in 72 women (48%) and had sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 100%, 54% and 56%, respectively. Leucocyte esterase (LE) and nitrite detected bacteriuria in 31 (20.7%) women and 12 (8.0%) women, respectively. Singly, LE had a sensitivity and specificity of 14.3% and 79%, respectively, while nitrite's sensitivity and specificity was 42.9% and 93.7%, respectively. Combined, LE and nitrite had better sensitivity (97.9%) and accuracy (94%). Since the accuracy of chlorhexidine is low, other than urine culture, combined dipstick urinalysis of leucocyte esterase and nitrite tests is good to detect asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos , Lagos State.
authors.forename: B O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Okusanya
authors.forename: E O S
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Aigere
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Eigbefoh
authors.forename: G B O
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Okome
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Gigi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine; D002710:Chlorhexidine; D004202:Disinfectants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011934:Reagent Strips / Q000191:economics; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000191:economics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D011934:Reagent Strips; D002710:Chlorhexidine