Most of the time, your urine is sterile. This means there are no bacteria growing. On the other hand, if you have symptoms of a bladder or kidney infection, bacteria will often be present and growing in your urine.
Sometimes, your health care provider may check your urine for bacteria, even when you do not have any symptoms. If enough bacteria are found in your urine, you have asymptomatic bacteriuria.
Screening - asymptomatic bacteria
Asymptomatic bacteriuria occurs in a small number of healthy people. It affects women more often than men. The reasons for the lack of symptoms are not well understood.
You are more likely to have this problem if you:
There are no symptoms of this problem.
If you have these symptoms, you may have a urinary tract infection, but you do not have asymptomatic bacteriuria.
Most people who have bacteria growing in their urine, but no symptoms, do not need treatment. This is because the bacteria are not causing any harm. In fact, treating most people with this problem may make it harder to treat infections in the future.
However, for some people getting a urinary tract infection is more likely or may cause more severe problems. As a result, treatment with antibiotics may be needed if:
Without symptoms being present, even people who are older adults, have diabetes, or have a catheter in place do not need treatment.
Barbara Trautner is an Infectious Disease expert in Houston, Texas. Trautner is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria. She is also highly rated in 3 other conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Asymptomatic Bacteriuria, Sepsis, Osteomyelitis, and Bacterial Prostatitis.
Dimitri Drekonja is an Infectious Disease expert in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Drekonja is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria. He is also highly rated in 1 other condition, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Asymptomatic Bacteriuria, Sepsis, Endocarditis, and Bacterial Prostatitis.
Caroline Schneeberger practices in Bilthoven, Netherlands. Schneeberger is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria. She is also highly rated in 2 other conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Asymptomatic Bacteriuria, Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), Interstitial Nephritis, and Obstructive Uropathy.
If it is not treated, you may have a kidney infection if you are at high risk.
Contact your provider if you have:
You will need to be checked for a bladder or kidney infection.
Summary: The population is aging. Aged people are more prown to develop frailty. The causes of frailty are multifactorial and are being investigated in research settings. Cardiovascular diseases, inflammaging and changes in microbiota have been associated with frailty and geriatric syndrome. The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria and SIADH-related hyponatremia is also important in aging and associated ...
Summary: This study aims specifically to compare the rates of contaminants between standard clean-catch urine collection and urine collected using the PEEZY device. In particular, this study will compare the rates of contamination as stratified by BMI status (i.e., BMI < 30 and BMI ≥30). Based on previous studies through LUHS and the Wolfe lab, we anticipate a reduction in contamination from sample collect...
Published Date: August 15, 2022
Published By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Cooper KL, Badalato GM, Rutman MP. Infections of the urinary tract. In: Partin AW, Dmochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 55.
Smaill FM, Vazquez JC. Antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;11:CD000490. PMID: 31765489 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31765489/.
Zalmanovici Trestioreanu A, Lador A, Sauerbrun-Cutler M-T, Leibovici L. Antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;4:CD009534. PMID: 25851268 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25851268/.