Asymptomatic bacteriuria in preadolescent girls.

BACKGROUND The detection of asymptomatic bacteriuria in preadolescent girls may be important due to its effects on subsequent pregnancies. OBJECTIVE To describe the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in preadolescent girls and the value of the nitrite test for screening. MATERIAL AND METHODS Cross-sectional study in girls aged 9 to 13 years. Bacteriuria was defined as the growth of > 100,000 CFU/mL in 2 consecutive urine specimens. RESULTS Three hundred and twenty seven girls were included. Asymptomatic bacteriuria was found in 7 girls, so the prevalence was 2.1% (95% CI, 1 to 4.4%). Escherichia coli was the isolated agent in all the cases. Focused interrogatory found history of urinary symptoms in 6 girls. The utility values of the nitrite test were: sensitivity, 1; specificity, 0.9; positive likelihood ratio, 10; and negative predictive value, 1. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in preadolescent girls in this Mexican study is similar to the one reported internationally; it is reasonable to consider its early detection to avoid its effects on future pregnancies. Nitrite test seems to be good for screening.