When to Treat Asymptomatic Bacteriuria?

Asymptomatic Bacteriuria can be defined as a positive urine culture (Two consecutive clean-catch voided urine specimens of at least 100,000 CFUs/mL in women and 1 clean-catch in men/ Catheterized patients) in the absence of any symptoms (i.e fever, frequency, urgency, supra-pubic pain). In particular patient populations, asymptomatic bacteriuria should be treated:

1. Pregnant Women
2. Renal transplant recipient
3. Patient undergoing invasive urologic procedure (in which mucosal bleeding is anticipated)

REFERENCES

1. Colgan R, Nicolle LE, McGlone A, Hooton TM. Asymptomatic bacteriuria in adults. Am Fam Physician. 2006 Sep 15;74(6):985-90.
2. Nicolle LE, Bradley S, Colgan R, Rice JC, Schaeffer A, Hooton TM, Infectious Diseases Society of America, American Society of Nephrology, American Geriatric Society. Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in adults. Clin Infect Dis. 2005;40(5):643.  
3. Lin K, Fajardo K, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria in adults: evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reaffirmation recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. 2008;149(1):W20.