title: Urine flow cytometry can rule out urinary tract infection, but cannot identify bacterial morphologies correctly.
abstract: The diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) by urine culture is a time-consuming and costly procedure. Usage of a screening method, to identify negative samples, would therefore affect time-to-diagnosis and laboratory cost positively. Urine flow cytometers are able to identify particles in urine. Together with the introduction of a cut-off value, which determines if a urine sample is subsequently cultured or not, the number of cultures can be reduced, while maintaining a low level of false negatives and a high negative predictive value. Recently, Sysmex developed additional software for their urine flow cytometers. Besides measuring the number of bacteria present in urine, information is given on bacterial morphology, which may guide the physician in the choice of antibiotic. In this study, we evaluated this software update. The UF1000i classifies bacteria into two categories: 'rods' and 'cocci/mixed'. Compared to the actual morphology of the bacterial pathogen found, the 'rods' category scores reasonably well with 91% chance of classifying rod-shaped bacteria correctly. The 'cocci/mixed' category underperforms, with only 29% of spherical-shaped bacteria (cocci) classified as such. In its current version, the bacterial morphology software does not classify bacteria, according to their morphology, well enough to be of clinical use in this study population.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: nienke.geerts@catharinaziekenhuis.nl.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Geerts
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Laboratory for Pathology and Medical Microbiology (PAMM), De Run 6250, 5504 DL Veldhoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.jansz@pamm.nl.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Jansz
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: kboonen@amphia.nl.
authors.forename: K J M
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Boonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: rob.wijn@mumc.nl.
authors.forename: R P W F
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Wijn
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: evert.koldewijn@catharinaziekenhuis.nl.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Koldewijn
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: arjen-kars.boer@catharinaziekenhuis.nl.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Boer
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: volkher.scharnhorst@catharinaziekenhuis.nl.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Scharnhorst
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D006095:Gram-Positive Cocci / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012984:Software; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000652:urine*; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antibiotic treatment; Bacterial morphology; Screening; UF1000i; UTI