What is chronic pyuria?

Pyuria is a condition referring to having white blood cells, or pus cells, in the urine. Women are at a greater risk for pyuria than men. Pyuria, by far, is the most common cause of white blood cells in the urine is due to an infection of the urinary system. This is often referred to as a UTI.

What does pyuria mean in medical terms?

Pyuria is a condition defined by the increased presence of white blood cells in urine. Although a urinary tract infection is the most common cause of sterile pyuria, other conditions may be involved. Doctors define pyuria as the presence of 10 white blood cells in each millimeter cube of the urine.

What causes pyuria in urine?

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common cause of pyuria. Other causes of pyuria may include: sterile pyuria, where UTI symptoms may be present, but there are no bacteria detected in your urine.

What is the difference between pyuria and UTI?

The term “pyuria” literally means “pus in the urine” but, in common usage, the focus is not on the presence of pus but on the number of white blood cells (WBCs) or amount of leukocyte esterase (LE) that exceeds a threshold and suggests a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Is pyuria diagnostic for UTI?

A dipstick test or urinalysis that shows evidence of pyuria is consistent with but not diagnostic of UTI. A negative test for pyuria is, however, reliable to exclude a diagnosis of urinary infection.

When do you treat pyuria?

Treatment for pyuria depends on the underlying cause. Usually, a UTI causes pyuria and treatment will involve a short course of antibiotic therapy, such as oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or nitrofurantoin. Antibiotics can also treat bacterial STIs and tuberculosis.

Do you treat pyuria?

Share on Pinterest Pyuria may be treated with antibiotics. Treatment for pyuria depends on the underlying cause. Usually, a UTI causes pyuria and treatment will involve a short course of antibiotic therapy, such as oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or nitrofurantoin.

What does pyuria look like?

Pyuria Symptoms With pyuria, you can have visible changes in the urine, which may appear cloudy or thick or look like pus. 1 Sometimes these are the only symptoms. Pyuria is often an indication of a urinary tract infection (UTI).