Isolation by uroculture of bacterial flora from ambulatory patients

: In the out patients investigated between 1974 and 1977 a number of 14046 quantitative urocultures were performed; 2206 (15.5%) gave relevant results for a diagnosis of urinary infection. In 98.5% of the cases, infection was caused by Gram negative bacilli, particularly Enterobacteriaceae (98.14%). A set of 11 biochemical tests, performed in a single stage, was used, correctly establishing the genus and in most cases also the species, thus realizing marked economy of material and work. It is considered that the taxonomic listing by this set is sufficient for a diagnosis of urinary infection. In such cases the clinical interest and testing the sensitivity of the strains to antibiotics is of greater importance than determination of the serotype, lysotype or biotype, of prevalent interest in other types of infection produced by enterobacteria, particularly those known to be pathogens.