What does nitrates and leukocytes in urine mean?

What does nitrates and leukocytes in urine mean?

coli bacteria are most commonly associated with nitrites in the urine. Having leukocytes in the urine without nitrites can also lead to a false-positive result that points to a bacterial infection when there is none. The pathologist or technician will carry out further testing to confirm the presence of an infection.

Do I have a UTI if I test positive for leukocytes?

Leukocyte esterase is a screening test used to detect a substance that suggests there are white blood cells in the urine. This may mean you have a urinary tract infection. If this test is positive, the urine should be examined under a microscope for white blood cells and other signs that point to an infection.

What shows up as positive in your urine if you have a UTI?

A positive strip result for white blood cells in your urine indicates an infection in your urinary tract, or possibly, kidney disease.

Can you have nitrites in urine without infection?

If there are nitrites in your urine, it may mean that you have a UTI. However, even if no nitrites are found, you still may have an infection, because bacteria don’t always change nitrates into nitrites.

Does positive nitrates mean UTI?

The presence of nitrites in urine most commonly means there’s a bacterial infection in your urinary tract. This is usually called a urinary tract infection (UTI). A UTI can happen anywhere in your urinary tract, including your bladder, ureters, kidneys, and urethra.

What does it mean when your urine test positive for nitrates?

The presence of nitrites in urine most commonly means there’s a bacterial infection in your urinary tract. This is usually called a urinary tract infection (UTI).

What is nitrate in urine?

Normal urine contains chemicals called nitrates. If bacteria enter the urinary tract, nitrates can turn into different, similarly named chemicals called nitrites. Nitrites in urine may be a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI). UTIs are one of the most common types of infections, especially in women.

What do positive nitrates and leukocytes in urine mean?

When nitrates are positive in your urine, it probably means that a urinary tract infection caused by gram-negative bacteria is present. On the other hand, leukocytes are cells of the immune system that respond to a pathologic microorganism. When they are found in someone’s urine, a urinary tract infection is also most likely the reason.

What does a positive nitrite test mean?

A test that is positive for nitrites in the urine indicates the presence of an organism that reduces nitrate. However, not all urinary pathogens are nitrate reducers. A positive test is highly specific for bacterial infection, but a negative test does not exclude infection, giving this test low sensitivity.

What causes false positive leukocytes in urine test?

False Positive Result In some cases, leukocytes can be found in a urine sample without actually having a urinary tract infection, which may be due to an incorrect technique or bad hygiene when collecting the sample. This is highly suspected if there are no nitrites present in the urine at the time.

What does a positive urine test for white blood cells mean?

When the number of white blood cells in urine increases significantly, the urine screening test will become positive. Leukocyte esterase identifies the presence of white blood cells in the urine. The white blood cells release the Leukocyte esterase, presumably in response to bacteria in the urine.