Microorganisms

Bacteria

Bacteria are single celled organisms. They have shapes of spheres (cocci) or rods and usually reach size of a few micrometers.

Small amount of bacteria in urine is quite common finding. Urine should be analyzed within one hour, otherwise the bacteria multiply. They tend to form chains or occur as longer fibers. Antibiotic treatment may cause bacteria cell wall disintegration producing unusually long rod-shaped elements called bacteria protoplasts. Larger quantities of bacteria can often be found in pathological urine with leukocytes.

Stained sediment

Rod-shaped bacteria that remained unstained after dyeing

Cocci (detail) and protoplast bacteria (arrow) – stained after dyeing

Native sediment

Chained bacteria – cocci

Bacteria – cocci

Bacteria – rods

Pictures from iQ 200 analyzer (IRIS)

Bacteria

Fibers of bacteria; single cocci around

Yeasts

Yeasts are quite common pathological finding. They are unicellular microorganisms with typical round or oval shape. They multiply by budding and in some cases they form pseudomycelium (fibrous form of yeast). They may occur in urine of immunodeficient or immunosuppressed patients and may also be present in urine of diabetics, because glucose contributes to their growth. The most common species in urine is Candida albicans.

Stained sediment

Yeast

Yeast pseudomycelium

Native sediment

Yeast

Yeast pseudomycelium

Pictures from iQ 200 analyzer (IRIS)

Yeast

Yeast pseudomycelium