Rinsho byori. The Japanese journal of clinical pathology
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Routine urinalysis is performed as a screening test for urinary tract infection (UTI) in out-patients or in-patients. We assessed the usefulness of microscopic examination of unspun and unstained urine using a disposable slide with counting chambers (Kova Slide 10 grid, Miles-Sankyo) for diagnosis of significant bacteriuria. 173 fresh urine samples were obtained from 173 subjects (89 male and 84 (female), including 117 inpatients, aged from 0 to 96 years. Urine samples were examined for bacteriuria by the standard culture method and counting chamber method. ⋯ Dipstick test had a sensitivity and negative predictive value of 86.6 and 89.9%, respectively, when either leukocyte esterase activity of + or more, or nitrite of + was found. In out-patients, both sensitivity and negative predictive value were as high as 100% in counting chamber method. Thus, we can conclude that urine microscopy on disposable counting chambers is a very sensitive, simple, time-saving and lost-effective method for diagnosis of UTI.