National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) Medical Assistant Practice Test

What does the presence of nitrites in urine often indicate?

1. Dehydration

2. Urinary tract infection

3. Diabetes

4. Kidney stones

The correct answer is: Urinary tract infection

The presence of nitrites in urine is commonly associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs). This occurs because certain bacteria that cause UTIs, particularly gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, have the ability to convert nitrates, which are normally present in urine, into nitrites. Therefore, when nitrites are detected in a urinalysis, it serves as an indicator of a possible bacterial infection in the urinary system. In contrast, dehydration would lead to concentrated urine but would not specifically result in nitrite presence. Diabetes may affect urine in other ways, such as the presence of glucose, but does not cause nitrites to be produced. Lastly, kidney stones do not cause the conversion of nitrates to nitrites and are more associated with other symptoms and findings on imaging studies rather than changes detected in a routine urinalysis.