The nurse who is reviewing the posted laboratory data of a newly admitted patient recognizes that the female patient has a bacteriuria when the bacteria count in the urine exceeds:

Question

A) 102 colonies/mL of clean-catch midstream urine
B) 103 colonies/mL of clean-catch midstream urine
C) 104 colonies/mL of clean-catch midstream urine
D) 105 colonies/mL of clean-catch midstream urine

Answer 1

Ans: D
Feedback: Bacteriuria is generally defined as more than 105 colonies of bacteria per milliliter of urine. Because urine samples (especially in women) are commonly contaminated by the bacteria present in the urethral area, a bacterial count exceeding 105 colonies/mL of clean-catch midstream urine is the measure that distinguishes true bacteriuria from contamination. In men, contamination of the collected urine sample occurs less frequently; hence, bacteriuria can be defined as 104 colonies/mL urine.