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Nitrite in urine should not be present. Their presence indicates an ongoing bacterial infection of the urinary tract, as they are formed as a result of the conversion of physiological nitrates in the urine under the influence of bacteria. The doctor always decides how to interpret a positive result for nitrite in urine and what treatment to implement.

Nitrite in urineshould not be present in a he althy person. Their presence indicates an ongoing bacterial infection of the urinary system, as they are formed as a result of the conversion of physiological nitrates in the urine under the influence of bacteria.

The presence of nitrite in urine is not sufficient for diagnosis and treatment, however, you should consult your family doctor who will decide on the need for additional laboratory tests.

Nitrite in urine: causes of occurrence

The presence of nitrite in the urine indicates an ongoing urinary tract infection with gram-negative bacteria. They produce the enzyme reductase, which transforms nitrates of food origin physiologically present in the urine into nitrites.

The bacteria that most often cause inflammation of the urinary tract include Escherichia coli (fecal bacillus) and bacteria from the Klebsiella, Citrobacter, Enterobacter and Pseudomonas groups.

Physiologically, they occur around the perineum and anus, but when they enter the urinary tract via an ascending route, they cause inflammation of the urinary system.

Nitrite in urine: how to collect urine for testing

To assess the presence of nitrite in urine, perform a urinalysis (i.e. BOM).

The urine should be collected in a disposable, sterile container, which can be obtained from any pharmacy or medical laboratory.

Immediately before collecting a urine sample for testing, the genital area and the perineum should be thoroughly washed with soap or an intimate hygiene agent. This will reduce the risk of contamination of the sample with bacteria that are physiologically present in this area, but should not be in the bladder of a he althy person.

In order to obtain a reliable determination, a sample of the first morning urine given after an overnight rest, taken from the middle stream, should be delivered to the laboratory.

Be sure to urinate inthe bladder has accumulated for a minimum of 4 hours, because only after this time the nutritional nitrates are reduced to nitrites.

To reliably assess the presence of nitrite in urine, the urine sample container should be brought to a medical laboratory as soon as possible or placed in a refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth. In this case, the test will be false-positive.

Bacterial nitrite in the urine can also be determined with home test strips. However, this is not an accurate diagnostic method, after confirming the presence of nitrites in the urine, perform a general urine test and consult a general practitioner.

Nitrite in urine: positive - interpretation

The presence of nitrite in the urine does not qualify for a diagnosis of urinary tract infection. The elements that should not be forgotten when interpreting the results of the urinalysis test are also the presence of bacteria and the amount of leukocytes in the urine sediment.

The presence of nitrates, bacteria and leukocytes in the urine indicates an ongoing inflammatory process in the urinary system.

In order to identify the bacterial strain responsible for causing inflammation, it is necessary to culture the urine and determine the antibiogram.

Thanks to it, the doctor can find out which antibiotic a given bacterial strain is resistant to, and to which it is sensitive, and prescribe the appropriate one.

Urinary tract inflammation symptoms and treatment

Urinary tract infections and related ailments are a frequent reason for patients visiting their GP.

Patients complain of pollakiuria, pain and burning when urinating, as well as a strong feeling of pressure on the bladder with the simultaneous inability to urinate or to excrete a very small amount of urine.

In the advanced stage of the disease, general symptoms may also occur:

  • feeling unwell
  • fever
  • pains in the lower abdomen and in the lumbar region of the spine

In such a case, you should see a doctor who will decide on the necessity of performing laboratory tests (general urine tests and possibly urine culture) and starting appropriate pharmacotherapy.

Untreated inflammation of the urinary system can lead to many complications, including kidney abscess, acute kidney failure, and even sepsis.

It should be noted, however, that the presence of nitrites and bacteria in the urine found in people without any urinary problems (the so-called asymptomatic bacteriuria) is not an indication for antibiotic therapy!

Treatmentasymptomatic bacteriuria

In patients with a general urine examination, the presence of nitrites and bacteria was found, but they do not complain of bothersome discomfort during urination, there are no indications for antibiotic therapy.

There are exceptions to this rule. These people should be treated with an antibiotic if asymptomatic bacteriuria is detected:

  • pregnant women
  • men before planned tubular resection of the prostate gland.
  • patients before urological procedures, during which bleeding from the urinary tract mucosa may occur

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