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The clarity of urine is also recorded during urinalysis. Urine is typically clear; materials such as crystals, cells, bacteria, and mucus can impart a cloudy appearance. [26] A milky appearance can be caused by a very high concentration of white blood cells or fats, or by chyluria (the presence of lymphatic fluid in the urine). [34]
Leukocyte esterase (LE) is an esterase (a type of enzyme) produced by leukocytes (white blood cells). A leukocyte esterase test (LE test) is a urine test for the presence of white blood cells and other abnormalities associated with infection. White blood cells in the urine can indicate a urinary tract infection (UTI). Positive test results may ...
The test for leukocyte esterase is purely indicative and should not be solely relied on for diagnosis, as it does not replace microscopic or urine culture examinations. [19] The urine test strip reaction is based on the action of leukocyte esterase in catalysing the hydrolysis of an ester of indolecarboxylic acid.
In the elderly, the leukocyte esterase test is often positive even in the absence of an infection. [citation needed] The urine dipstick test is readily available and provides fast, but often unreliable results. Some organisms such as chlamydia and Ureaplasma urealyticum will produce a negative leukocyte esterase reaction.
Pyuria is the condition of urine containing white blood cells or pus. Defined as the presence of 6-10 or more neutrophils per high power field of unspun, voided mid-stream urine, it can be a sign of a bacterial urinary tract infection. Pyuria may be present in people with sepsis, or in older people with pneumonia.
White blood cells (scientific name leukocytes), also called immune cells or immunocytes, are cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders. White blood cells are generally larger than red blood cells.
Another test, urine microscopy, looks for the presence of red blood cells, white blood cells, or bacteria. Urine culture is deemed positive if it shows a bacterial colony count of greater than or equal to 10 3 colony-forming units per mL of a typical urinary tract organism. Antibiotic sensitivity can also be tested with these cultures, making ...
Glitter cells (also called Sternheimer-Malbin positive cells) are polymorphonuclear leukocyte neutrophils with granules that show a Brownian movement and that are found in the urine, most commonly associated with urinary tract infections or pyelonephritis and especially prevalent under conditions of hypotonic urine (samples with specific gravity less than 1.01). [1]