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Urine testing is one of the simplest and cheapest methods of health assessment. Should nitrites in urine concern what they mean and what actions to take?
In their physiological, i.e. normal, state, the presence of these compounds in urine is not detected, but nitrates appear. The conversion of nitrate into nitrite takes place in the presence of gram-negative bacteria. A positive result of a urine nitrite test most often indicates a urinary tract infection, however, in order to confirm the disease, diagnostics should be extended.
What are the causes of the presence of nitrite in the urine?
The human urinary system is a sterile environment, microorganisms in a healthy person will appear only in the final section of the urinary tract, ascending from the perineum.
Nitrite in the urine is the most common bacterial infection. A positive test result is one of the signs of infection. The most common cause of the disease is the presence of E. Coli bacteria that live around the anus.
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Nitrite in the urine of pregnancy
Due to their anatomical structure, women are more likely to develop urinary tract infections. The shorter urethra and the close position of the anus are the main causes of ascending infections. Any infection should not be underestimated, especially in pregnancy.
During pregnancy, women are more prone to urinary tract infections – this is mainly due to the more frequent presence of urine in the bladder and the presence of glucose in the urine. Nitrite in urine during pregnancy is a signal of ongoing bacterial urinary tract infection. Every medical condition in pregnancy requires treatment.
Untreated urinary tract infections can have serious consequences. In a pregnant woman, the infection may cause renal failure and dangerous arterial hypertension, while the fetus may develop anemia and cause low birth weight. Untreated urinary tract infections can lead to premature birth and the development of an intrauterine infection.
Urine nitrite in children
Urinary tract infections are a common complaint in children. In order to prevent them, proper hygiene of intimate parts is essential. Urinary tract infections in children are most often manifested by fever, tearfulness, pain while urinating, and loss of appetite.
How to properly prepare for the examination?
There are a few simple rules to follow in order to correctly collect urine for nitrite testing. Nitrite is detected with a general urine test or with a simple dipstick test.
The test sample is taken from the first morning urine. Urine should be collected in a special container, which can be purchased at a pharmacy.
Before collecting the material, you should wash yourself, then collect about 20 ml of urine from the so-called middle stream (urine is not collected immediately after voiding starts, the first part of the urine “cleans” the urinary tract should go to the toilet). The material can be collected if 4 hours have elapsed since the last urination.
After collection, the sample should be immediately taken to the laboratory or placed in the refrigerator. If we perform the test strip at home – the test should be performed in accordance with the instructions, immediately after collecting urine.
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Urine nitrite – falsified urine test result
There is a situation where the presence of nitrite in the urine is due to a false test result. This happens when urine collected for testing has been stored at room temperature for too long. In this case, the test should be repeated, collecting the material correctly, especially when making a home-use test strip.
Nitrite in urine – treatment
Depending on the symptoms reported by the patient and further diagnostics (the doctor may direct urine for culture), treatment is initiated. If symptomatic bacterial urinary tract infection is confirmed, antibiotic therapy will be offered. When the patient does not feel any discomfort, treatment is initiated in the case of pregnant women and people suffering from diabetes.