Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Pyuria is a condition that occurs when excess white blood cells are present in the urine.
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Pyuria Symptoms
With pyuria, you can have visible changes in the urine, which may appearcloudyor thick or look like pus.Sometimes these are the only symptoms.
Pyuria is often an indication of aurinary tract infection(UTI).A UTI can cause urinary frequency, burning with urination, and urinary urgency (a sense that you absolutely have to go).
Pyuria can also be an indication ofsepsis, a life-threatening reaction to a blood infection that causes a fever, lethargy, changes in blood pressure, a weak pulse, and trouble breathing.
If your urine appears thick or cloudy after multiple trips to the bathroom throughout the day, make an appointment with your healthcare provider to have a urinalysis.
Urinary tract infections are the most common cause of pyuria. Although most UTIs are not serious, they are painful. About half of all women will have at least one urinary tract infection in their lifetime. Some women have recurrent urinary tract infections.
The most common cause of urinary tract infections is bacteria from the bowels that migrates to the urethra.Women are more likely to get urinary tract infections because their urethra is shorter and closer to the anus, as compared to men.
Men have longer urethras, making it harder for bacteria to make their way up to the bladder. Since men are less likely to get urinary tract infections, when they do get one, it should be taken seriously. Causes of infections in men can include prostatitis, enlarged prostate with incomplete bladder emptying, and bladder or kidney stones.
Sterile Pyuria
With sterile pyuria, the urine contains white blood cells but appears sterile. This means that the culture doesn’t grow bacteria and other microorganisms.
Causes of sterile pyuria:
Both sterile and non-sterile forms of pyuria can be diagnosed with aurinalysis. The urine is sent for microscopic evaluation. Pyuria is diagnosed when there are 10 white blood cells per cubic millimeter of centrifuged urine.
Urine testing will also be able to detect any bacteria that may be present.If your pyuria is not the result of a bacterial infection, more testing may be needed to determine the cause. Your healthcare provider may order blood tests or imaging tests to look for other conditions that could be causing it, like kidney stones.
If you are taking medications that can cause pyuria, your healthcare provider may ask you to stop them, which can help determine whether medications are the cause.
Pyuria cannot be diagnosed with an office dipstick urine test.
In most cases, antibiotic treatment will relieve the symptoms of a UTI. You must take all the antibiotics prescribed, or your urinary tract infection may return. Your healthcare provider may ask you to return for a follow-up urinalysis after you complete antibiotic treatment to make sure the infection is completely gone.
Practicinggood personal hygienecan help prevent urinary tract infections. This includes always wiping from front to back after urination and bowel movements. It’s important to gently wash the skin around and between the vagina and rectum, preferably with regular showers rather than baths.
Staying hydrated can help prevent UTIs and kidney stones.
Understanding Chronic Urinary Tract Infections and Sex
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rowe TA, Juthani-Mehta M.Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infection in Older Adults.Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2014;28(1):75-89. doi:10.1016/j.idc.2013.10.004Goonewardene S, Persad R.Sterile pyuria: a forgotten entity.Ther Adv Urol. 2015;7(5):295-298. doi:10.1177/1756287215592570Jhang JF, Kuo HC.Recent advances in recurrent urinary tract infection from pathogenesis and biomarkers to prevention.Ci Ji Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2017;29(3):131-137. doi:10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_53_17Minardi D, D’Anzeo G, Cantoro D, Conti A, Muzzonigro G.Urinary tract infections in women: etiology and treatment options.Int J Gen Med. 2011;4:333-343. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S11767Watanabe T.Pyuria in patients with Kawasaki disease.World J Clin Pediatr. 2015;4(2):25-29. doi:10.5409/wjcp.v4.i2.25Additional ReadingUrinary Tract Infection.Medline PlusWise, Gilbert, Schlegel, Peter;Sterile Pyuria, New England Journal of Medicine, March 2015
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Rowe TA, Juthani-Mehta M.Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infection in Older Adults.Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2014;28(1):75-89. doi:10.1016/j.idc.2013.10.004Goonewardene S, Persad R.Sterile pyuria: a forgotten entity.Ther Adv Urol. 2015;7(5):295-298. doi:10.1177/1756287215592570Jhang JF, Kuo HC.Recent advances in recurrent urinary tract infection from pathogenesis and biomarkers to prevention.Ci Ji Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2017;29(3):131-137. doi:10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_53_17Minardi D, D’Anzeo G, Cantoro D, Conti A, Muzzonigro G.Urinary tract infections in women: etiology and treatment options.Int J Gen Med. 2011;4:333-343. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S11767Watanabe T.Pyuria in patients with Kawasaki disease.World J Clin Pediatr. 2015;4(2):25-29. doi:10.5409/wjcp.v4.i2.25Additional ReadingUrinary Tract Infection.Medline PlusWise, Gilbert, Schlegel, Peter;Sterile Pyuria, New England Journal of Medicine, March 2015
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Rowe TA, Juthani-Mehta M.Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infection in Older Adults.Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2014;28(1):75-89. doi:10.1016/j.idc.2013.10.004Goonewardene S, Persad R.Sterile pyuria: a forgotten entity.Ther Adv Urol. 2015;7(5):295-298. doi:10.1177/1756287215592570Jhang JF, Kuo HC.Recent advances in recurrent urinary tract infection from pathogenesis and biomarkers to prevention.Ci Ji Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2017;29(3):131-137. doi:10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_53_17Minardi D, D’Anzeo G, Cantoro D, Conti A, Muzzonigro G.Urinary tract infections in women: etiology and treatment options.Int J Gen Med. 2011;4:333-343. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S11767Watanabe T.Pyuria in patients with Kawasaki disease.World J Clin Pediatr. 2015;4(2):25-29. doi:10.5409/wjcp.v4.i2.25
Rowe TA, Juthani-Mehta M.Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infection in Older Adults.Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2014;28(1):75-89. doi:10.1016/j.idc.2013.10.004
Goonewardene S, Persad R.Sterile pyuria: a forgotten entity.Ther Adv Urol. 2015;7(5):295-298. doi:10.1177/1756287215592570
Jhang JF, Kuo HC.Recent advances in recurrent urinary tract infection from pathogenesis and biomarkers to prevention.Ci Ji Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2017;29(3):131-137. doi:10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_53_17
Minardi D, D’Anzeo G, Cantoro D, Conti A, Muzzonigro G.Urinary tract infections in women: etiology and treatment options.Int J Gen Med. 2011;4:333-343. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S11767
Watanabe T.Pyuria in patients with Kawasaki disease.World J Clin Pediatr. 2015;4(2):25-29. doi:10.5409/wjcp.v4.i2.25
Urinary Tract Infection.Medline PlusWise, Gilbert, Schlegel, Peter;Sterile Pyuria, New England Journal of Medicine, March 2015
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