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 percent) 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