Context

Uncomplicated acute cystitis is a common and uncomfortable condition in premenopausal women. Controversy exists over the value of culture data obtained from clean-catch midstream urine specimens for directing antimicrobial therapy, due to the risk of contamination by periurethral and vaginal organisms affecting the detection of true bladder bacteriuria. In the past, bacterial colony counts have been used to determine the threshold for clinically meaningful results. The authors attempt to clarify this issue by comparing culture results in premenopausal women displaying symptoms of acute cystitis from specimens obtained through midstream urine collection with specimens obtained by urethral catheterisation.