Evaluation of routine surveillance urine cultures in rehabilitation ward admissions: a prospective study

To assess the value of routine surveillance urine cultures and the prevalence of bacteriuria in the younger disabled patient subgroup admitted to the younger disabled unit (YDU). Most of these patients do require some form of assisted urinary drainage.

A prospective study of 50 consecutive patients admitted to the YDU for short-term rehabilitation were screened by obtaining relevant clinical details and urine specimens at weekly intervals.

Relevant clinical details were retrieved from case notes and minimum of two urine specimens were collected for culture from each patient.

Presence of positive urine culture, sensitivity and clinical symptoms were recorded.

Out of 50 patients studied, 27 were on some form of urinary drainage. Urine culture and sensitivity results were positive in 35 patients. Cultures were predominantly mixed growth or coliform organisms.

Majority of patients were admitted with asymptomatic bacteriuria. There was no evidence to suggest that these short-term rehabilitation patients acquired nosocomial uropathogens and routine surveillance urine cultures were not particularly useful in this setting.