Patient's question:
My girlfriend has been experiencing some pain in her lower left abdomen recently, especially when she uses the restroom, and the pain intensifies with effort. It's also been happening more frequently at night. Could it be nephritis? How does pyelonephritis manifest in a urinalysis?Doctor's answer:
Pyelonephritis is actually a type of urinary tract infection and belongs to upper urinary tract infections. In routine urine tests, it typically shows a large number of white blood cells, bacteria, and cast urine. It may also present with microscopic hematuria and a small amount of protein. There is an increase in formed elements such as epithelial cells. In severe infections, the entire field under the microscope may be filled with white blood cells, even pus cells. Urinary tract infections are commonly caused by Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli. Due to their ability to reduce nitrate, which is a byproduct of protein metabolism, nitrite may also be positive at the same time.