Bacteria in urine

The presence of bacteria in your urine is not always an indication of a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) can occur when you are perfectly healthy and don’t have any symptoms of infection, but you have a larger than normal number of bacteria in your urine.

This is typically harmless. It can only cause complications if you’ve had a kidney transplant, if you’re pregnant or if you have other medical conditions.

That being said, when the bacteria reach a certain level and give rise to symptoms, it can mean that the bladder, urethra, ureters or kidneys have become infected.