Context: There is still controversy as to the use and dosage of antimicrobial prophylaxis of the urinary infection associated with urethral catheterization in the post renal transplant period.
Objective: To determine whether patients develop urinary infection during short-term urethral catheterization after renal transplant without routine antimicrobial prophylaxis.
Design: Prospective study.
Setting: Kidney Transplantation Unit.
Sample: 20 patients submitted to non-complicated kidney transplant, with a normal urinary tract and no risk factors present regarding urinary infection. Aged 15 to 65 years.
Main measurements: Before the transplant, material from the urethral meatus and urine were collected for culture. After the transplant, in the period during which the patient was with short-term urethral catheterization (4 to 5 days), material from the urethral meatus and urine from the bladder and the collecting bag were taken daily from all recipients for culture.
Results: There was a predominance of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus and S. viridans in the normal urethral meatus flora and in the first two days of urethral catheterization. After the second day, there was a predominance of E. coli and E. faecalis. Urinary infection did not occur during the period of urethral catheterization. In the follow up only one female patient (7%) had asymptomatic bacteriuria caused by E.coli after the withdrawal of the urethral catheter.
Conclusions: Infection urinary does not occur during the period of urethral catheterization in kidney post-transplant patients. Thus, antimicrobial prophylaxis is not recommended for these patients to prevent urinary infection.