Pus Cell and Bacterial Counts in the Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infections in Childhood.

The techniques used to examine urine with a view to determining whether or not it is infected vary widely. Although the results produced at any one hospital are usually reproducible and, with experience, interpretable, it is often difficult or impossible to compare accurately these findings with those of any other hospital. This state of affairs is sufficiently disturbing, but there also exists doubt as to whether assessment of pyuria (Stansfeld and Webb, 1953; Stansfeld, 1962) or bacteriuria (Kass, 1956, 1957; Sanford, Favour, Mao and Harrison, 1956; Pryles, 1960) is better as an indication of infection of urine. These considerations have prompted an investigation into the techniques used to distinguish the presence of a urinary infection and in particular to compare the value of pus cell and bacterial counts and the influence the technique of collection exerts upon them.