Spheroplasts, poorly known but clinically relevant particles of urinary sediment

Rosanna Falbo; Giovanni Battista Fogazzi; Maria Roberta Sala; Giuseppe Garigali; Adela Sulejmani; Paolo Brambilla; Valerio Leoni

doi:10.1016/j.cca.2020.12.026

Spheroplasts, poorly known but clinically relevant particles of urinary sediment

Clin Chim Acta. 2021 Apr:515:13-15. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2020.12.026. Epub 2020 Dec 24.

Authors

Rosanna Falbo¹, Giovanni Battista Fogazzi², Maria Roberta Sala³, Giuseppe Garigali², Adela Sulejmani³, Paolo Brambilla⁴, Valerio Leoni⁴

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Desio Hospital, ASST-Monza, Desio, MB, Italy. Electronic address: r.falbo@asst-monza.it.
² Clinical and Research Laboratory on Urinary Sediment, U.O.C. di Nefrologia, Dialisi e Trapianto di Rene, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy.
³ Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Desio Hospital, ASST-Monza, Desio, MB, Italy.
⁴ Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Desio Hospital, ASST-Monza and Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy.

PMID: 33359495
DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2020.12.026

Abstract

Background: In two patients under treatment with various antibiotics, spheroplasts were detected with an automated urine sediment analyzer.

Methods: Urinalysis was performed by an AutionMAX AX 4030-sediMAX platform.

Results: Spheroplasts can be easily misclassified as yeasts or erythrocytes, but when automated urine sediment analyzers are used by well-trained, and experienced operators they can be correctly identified and classified.

Conclusion: Appropriate training of urine laboratory professionals in spheroplast detection and association with UTI, together with timely communication with the microbiologist and caring clinician, will provide prompt targeted treatment.

Keywords: SediMAX; Spheroplasts; Urinalysis; ß-lactam antibiotics.

MeSH terms

Communication
Erythrocytes*
Humans
Spheroplasts
Urinalysis*