[Localization of the urinary tract infection by the ACB method]

We used the ACB (antibody coated bacteria) on 214 urinary samples with bacteriuria. Patients were grouped in 14 clinical entities at the beginning of the study. Later, after supplementary examinations had been conducted, the findings were compared. ACB testing was positive in 37 cases (17.45%). Of 25 patients with signs and symptoms of acute pyelonephritis, 18 (72% sensitivity) were positive. In contrast, of 64 patients with clinical symptoms of lower urinary infection, tests were positive only in 4.7%--3 patients--(95.5% specificity). The paper includes a review of international literature on the method's behaviour in certain clinical diagnoses and a comparison is made with that in our study. We conclude stating that the method is simple, economical, non-aggressive and useful for U.I.'s location and evolution follow-up.