RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Rapid detection of bacteriuria is desirable for diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of the cytocentrifuge Gram stain, uncentrifuged Gram stain, and urinary nitrite, leukocyte esterase to determine the exclusion of urine culture. METHODS: A cytocentrifuge Gram stain procedure and urine dipstick test were performed to screen for bacteriuria using 155 random fresh urine specimens submitted for routine culture. The authors compared the results of the cytocentrifuge Gram stain, urinary nitrite, leukocyte esterase and multiapplication of three tests with the results of culture. Result: Compared with positive urine culture(>105CFU/mL), cytocentrifuge Gram stain had a good negative predictive value(96.0%) and sensitivity(89.1%). The urinary nitrite and leukocyte esterase test had very low sensitivity(27.0%, 45.9%), respectively. The multiapplication of cytocentrifuge Gram stain, urinary nitrite and leukocyte esterase had a excellent negative predictive value(98.9%) and sensitivity(97.3%), and agree with urine culture positive(36/37 cases, 97.3%). CONCLUSION: Multiapplication of urinary cytocentrifuge Gram stain, nitrite and leukocyte esterase test is a useful screening test for the rapid exclusion of bacteriuria and provides rapid morphologic information about suspected pathogens in cases with positive urine culture.