ABSTRACT
The term asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy indicates persistent actively multiplying bacteria within the urinary tract without showing any symptom in pregnancy. A total of 500 pregnant women were screened for the incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria by comparing the reliability of urine dip stick evaluation for nitrites and leukocyte esterase activity with that of urine culture in diagnosing asymptomaticbacteriuria. The efficacy of single dose antimicrobial therapy (2 g of Cephalexin or 3 g of Amoxycillin) was evaluated for eradicating asymptomatic bacteriuria. The incidence was found to be 9.2% among the 500 cases in the study group. The dip stick screening could detect the bacteriuric patients correctly in 89.1% of cases. Single dose therapy cured 76.1% of asymptomatic bacteriuria patients. Amoxycillin was found to be more effective when compared to Cephalexin as a single dose antimicrobial therapy.