The reliability of the Uricult dipslide in the quantitative estimation of bacteriuria has been tested on 2,596 urines from out-patients and in-patients of various types. The dipslide results at 15–20^°C and at 37°C correspond almost exactly with pour-plate controls in 340 urines. False-positive and false-negative results were negligible. The dipslide results correspond well, but not so completely, with those from 1,000 urines tested by the less accurate standard-loop technique. Dipping by ward sisters and auxiliary nurses was assessed for accuracy in 1,168 specimens. A number of other studies are reported. On the basis of our results the dipslide system is now being used routinely in our hospital group. It is strongly recommended that a dipslide culture is obtained by the medical practitioner and despatched to the laboratory before antimicrobial therapy is started on a patient with suspected urinary tract infection. Dipslide culture at 15–20°C or 37°C is considered to be as accurate as pour-plate technique and more accurate and reliable than the conventional standard-loop method at 37 °C.

BackgroundAt a urology center in Australia, patients undergoing elective nonurgent urological surgery routinely receive empirical antibiotic treatment based on urinalysis (UA) prior to intervention to treat presumptive bacteriuria. Sterilization of urine with empirical antibiotics in procedures involving stone manipulation and mucosal disruption in the genitourinary system has been shown to reduce infection risks but whether this translates to low-risk urological interventions is not clear.MethodsPatients undergoing outpatient elective urological procedures during a 3-month period between September and November 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, results of urinalyses, empirical antibiotic use, and data surrounding post-intervention complications were collected and reviewed. Results were analyzed using SPSS v 25.ResultsOf 119 patients, 111 underwent a pre-procedure urinalysis. Fifty-eight percent (n = 64) of patients were treated with empiric antibiotics pre-operatively based on a positive UA (defined as the presence of urinary leukocytes or nitrites). Fifty-five percent (n = 41) of patients who received empirical antibiotics returned a positive urine culture, and only 49 percent (n = 20) of those receiving antibiotics cultured organisms susceptible to initial antibiotics prescribed. 1 Death, 3 incidences of bacteremia, and 10 incidences of bacteriuria up to 2 weeks occurred post-intervention in this cohort. There was no discernible risk of adverse events based on a composite of post-intervention death, bacteremia and bacteriuria in patients with a positive pre-procedural UA (n = 67/111, RR0.67 CI 0.49–0.91, P = 0.10). Pre-procedural sterilized urine similarly did not demonstrated any reduced risk of post-intervention adverse outcomes (n = 77/119, RR1.02 CI 0.64–1.63, P = 0.94).ConclusionThis study demonstrated no increased risk of post-operative infection in patients with a positive urinalysis or urine culture with bacteriuria prior to intervention. There was a high use of broad-spectrum antibiotic as a reflex to positive urinalyses alone highlighting an avenue for improved anti-microbial stewardship. More research is needed to guide clinicians on the role of urine cultures and antibiotics prior to non-urgent urological procedures.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.