What's going on with the white blood cells in urine?
Urine white blood cells are an important indicator in urine examination and usually reflect the presence of infection or inflammation in the urinary system. Recently, topics related to urinary white blood cells have triggered widespread discussions in the health field, especially how to interpret routine urine reports, the causes and countermeasures of elevated urinary white blood cells, etc. This article will combine the hot topics on the Internet in the past 10 days to provide you with a detailed analysis of the relevant knowledge of urinary leukocytes.
1. Basic concepts of urinary leukocytes

Urinary leukocytes refer to the white blood cells (mainly neutrophils) present in urine. The number of white blood cells in normal people's urine is very small. When infection, inflammation, or other diseases occur in the urinary system, the number of white blood cells in the urine may increase. The following is the normal reference range for urine white blood cells:
| Check items | normal value range | Exception prompt |
|---|---|---|
| Urine white blood cells (microscopic examination) | 0-5/high power field (HPF) | >5/HPF may indicate infection |
| urinary leukocyte esterase | negative | Positive may indicate bacterial infection |
2. Common causes of elevated urinary white blood cells
According to recent discussions in medical forums and health self-media, the main causes of elevated urinary white blood cells include:
| Cause classification | specific disease | Proportion (reference) |
|---|---|---|
| Infectious diseases | Cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis | about 65% |
| non-infectious diseases | Kidney stones, nephritis, prostatitis | about 25% |
| other factors | Vigorous exercise, menstrual pollution, drug effects | about 10% |
3. Recent hot topics of discussion
1.Does asymptomatic elevated urinary leukocytes require treatment?Some people who have had physical examinations have found elevated urinary white blood cells but no symptoms. Doctors suggest that a comprehensive judgment should be made based on other indicators.
2.Controversy over the accuracy of home self-testing urineUrine test strips sold on e-commerce platforms have sparked discussion. Experts point out that self-test results are for reference only and must be subject to hospital testing.
3.Treatment options for recurring urinary tract infectionsAdjuvant therapies such as probiotics and cranberry preparations have become hot topics recently, but clinical evidence still needs more research support.
4. Suggestions for handling abnormal urinary white blood cells
According to popular science content recently released by urology experts from tertiary hospitals:
| Check results | Recommended actions |
|---|---|
| Mild increase (6-10/HPF) | Review urine routine to rule out contamination factors |
| Significant increase (>10/HPF) | Perform urine culture + drug susceptibility testing |
| With symptoms (frequent urination, painful urination, etc.) | Prompt anti-infective treatment |
5. Daily recommendations for preventing urinary tract infections
1. Drink 1500-2000ml of water every day to avoid holding in urine.
2. Women should wipe from front to back after using the toilet.
3. Urinate and cleanse promptly after sex
4. Avoid overuse of vaginal washes
5. Diabetic patients need to strictly control blood sugar
Summary:Abnormal urinary white blood cells are a warning sign of urinary system health, but there is no need to panic. Recently, the medical community has emphasized that clinical symptoms and other test indicators should be used to make comprehensive judgments to avoid over-treatment. When abnormal urine tests are found, it is recommended to carry out standardized diagnosis and treatment under the guidance of a doctor.
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