EDITORIAL COMMENT

Abstract

Standard urine cultures typically result in 48 hours or longer, and in practice this often leads to empiric antibiotic treatment of presumed infections, including the suboptimal use of antibiotics. In one study, 23% of emergency room patients with positive urine cultures received inappropriate empiric antibiotic treatment requiring later intervention following discharge. 1 Lingenfelter E Drapkin Z Fritz K et al. ED pharmacist monitoring of provider antibiotic selection aids appropriate treatment for outpatient UTI. Am J Emerg Med. 2016; 34: 1600 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (15) Google Scholar In the current era of rampant antibiotic resistance, rapid diagnosis of infections and associated antibiotic resistance are desperately needed to expedite targeted treatment, and minimize overuse and inappropriate use of antibiotics. Culture-independent assays, such as the one described in the accompanying paper, may result in as few as 6 hours. The current study is a timely investigation comparing standard urinary cultures and a multiplex PCR-based assay in detecting bacteria in patients with UTI symptoms. The authors conclude that the multiplex PCR assay was noninferior to standard cultures in detection of bacteria in symptomatic patients. This study is a step forward in the implementation of culture-independent assays in the diagnosis and treatment of UTI.