Diagnosis, treatment and registration of urinary tract infections in geriatric patients

Bacteriuria (> or = 10(5) CFU/ml) is a very common phenomenon in elderly people, occurring twice as frequently in women than in men. There are symptomatic and asymptomatic types of bacteriuria. Risk factors include: a decrease in the estrogen level in women after the menopause, catheterisation, urinary bladder dysfunction, hypertrophy of the prostate gland, diabetes, neurological illnesses. The diagnosis of bacteriuria is based on quantitative urine culture (positive result--> or = 10(5) CFU/ml bacteriae). The most frequent pathogens are: E. coli, enterococci, staphylococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis. The antimicrobial therapy is not advised for asymptomatic bacteriuria. In the case of symptomatic bacteriuria it is advised to take urine for culture and to perform sensitivity testing as well as blood culture and to start a "blind therapy". In order to use the antimicrobial treatment effectively, the most frequently occurring pathogens should be registered and their sensitivity patterns in the given hospital recognised.