Expert: Paula Damgaard - 5/30/2006

Question
Hello again,

She might not show symptoms like fever but if she has an infection, would you find it in her blood or can you get false negative results as well?
I ask you this because in her blood they could find the bacteria.
Thanks again!

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Followup To

Question -
Dear Ms/mrs Damgaard,

My grandmother has Alzheimer for over 12 years, since one year she is suffering from urinary tract infection, caused by the bacteria E. Coli. This bug mutates every times she gets another antibiotic, so it is hard to eliminate.
Since thursday she is in terrible state of mind. Psychotic eposodes,hallucinating, terrible screaming. Doctors say she is in another stage of her Alzheimers. I do not believe that and believe her urinary tract infection is bothering her. She has blood and puss in her urine. Is it possible she is like this because of an infection? I suggested to the doctor to examine her blood whether she is poisening herself. Could she have urosepsis without having the symptoms like fever?

Answer -
Dear Lizette, absolutely the UTI could be causing her to have the psychotic episodes, etc, that you describe.  Yes she could have urosepsis without fever.  75% of elderly women have undetected urinary tract infections because they no longer develop the same symptoms that their younger cohorts have.

You are right to have her worked up for this.  If her present doctor won't follow through find a new one.  Good luck.  Your grandmother is lucky to have you.  Paula

Answer
If it is a urinary tract infection it wouldn't show up in her blood unless it was left untreated for a long time.  It would show up in her urine.  If the infection is being caused by a virus then it won't show up in blood either.  

Hope this helps.  Paula