Avoid ordering follow-up urine cultures after treatment for an uncomplicated urinary tract infection in patients that show evidence of clinical resolution of infection.

Rationale and Comments

Studies have shown that clinical resolution of infection is adequate for determining effectiveness of antibiotic therapy after treatment for a urinary tract infection.

Sponsoring Organizations

• American Academy of Pediatrics – Section on Nephrology and the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology

Sources

• American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines

Disciplines

• Infectious disease
• Urologic

References

• American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Quality Improvement, Subcommittee on Urinary Tract Infection. Practice parameter: the diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of the initial urinary tract infection in febrile infants and young children. Pediatrics. 1999;103:843-852.
  
• Bachir R. Nonresponders: prolonged fever among infants with urinary tract infections. Pediatrics. 2000;105:E59.
  
• Currie ML, Mitz L, Raasch CS, Greenbaum LA. Follow-up urine cultures and fever in children with urinary tract infection. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2003;157:1237-1240.
  
• Oreskovic NM, Sembrano EU. Repeat urine cultures in children who are admitted with urinary tract infections. Pediatrics. 2007;119(2):e325-329.