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Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Diabetes Mellitus


BI Joffe
HC Seftel
LA Distiller

Abstract

A study was undertaken to determine the frequency of asymptomatic bacteriuria among 100 ambulant diabetic patients attending a diabetic outpatient clinic. At the same time, we assessed the reliability of the Uricult dip-slide method for detecting urinary bacterial growth. Significant bacteriuria occurred in 9% of the total diabetic group, largely attributable to the high prevalence in elderly diabetic women. Important characteristics of the affected diabetic patients included infection, commonly with Escherichia coli, frequently associated pyuria, good diabetic control with normal renal function and a high recurrence rate of bacteriuria after treatment. The dipslide method compared quite favourably with the laboratory culture method, but it failed to detect 2 out of 8 cases with significant bacteriuria.

S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1306 (1974).

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eISSN: 2078-5135
print ISSN: 0256-9574