A bag specimen is useful only when it is negative. In an infant or a child who is not toilet-trained, collect urine by catheter or suprapubic aspiration for culture, or by clean catch where it can be done reliably, and send it before the first dose of antibiotic. A positive bag culture is often contaminated and can commit a child to imaging and prophylaxis they do not need. Start treatment promptly in an unwell child once the sample is taken.
- Collect a catheter, suprapubic or reliable clean-catch sample for culture in febrile infants.
- Do not base a UTI diagnosis on a positive bag specimen.
- Send the sample before the first antibiotic dose.
- Do not delay treatment in an unwell child once the sample is in hand.
Why it matters
A contaminated sample can lead to unnecessary imaging, prophylaxis and parental anxiety.
Read the rest in the app
You have read your two free briefings this month. The app carries all 27 specialties, every morning, free — and this finding is waiting in it.
Scan to keep reading on your phone. No account needed to start.
Tomorrow morning, before your first patient
One edition a day for urology, written by the desk, every claim tied to its paper. Six minutes.
Get the app — free