Head-space gas-liquid chromatography for the rapid laboratory diagnosis of urinary tract infections caused by enterobacteria.

Urine specimens were analysed in parallel in a hospital laboratory by routine methods which were regarded as the standard of correct diagnosis and by the rapid test already developed in a research laboratory. Technical modifications made to the rapid test ensured that its results agreed with those from routine methods and increased its rapidity so that a result was possible 4 h after receipt of the specimen. When 382 urine specimens were analysed by the modified test which is described in detail, there were neither false negatives nor false positives for infections with Escherichia, Klebsiella, Citrobacter or Proteus species.