Abstract
Four screening tests for bacteriuria were assessed at ward level in 418 elderly subjects and were compared with standard methods of bacterial culture. The tests were visual appearance; microscopy; dipstick for nitrite, leucocyte esterase, protein, and blood; and dipstick for nitrite and organisms. The sensitivity of the tests varied from 85.6% to 98.3%, and the specificity from 18.4% to 82.9%. A combination of visual appearance and dipstick testing for nitrite and leucocyte esterase gave a sensitivity of 96.1% with a specificity of 50.6%, and could have reduced by almost one-third the number of urine samples submitted to the laboratory for processing.
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