What Does My Lab Test Report Indicate?

Posted on Wed, 9 Dec 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 8 Dec 2015 Answered on

Mon, 4 Jan 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : I have had what I thought to be severe flulike symptoms for over three weeks. Nearly debilitating. Went to dr and had blood work and urinalysis. Blood work shows high white cell count, etc. high creatinine, low hemoglobin; urine culture shows kebsiella pneumoniae. I have had no symptoms of a UTI, just fever,all over body aches, back pain, no appetite, severe fatigue and weakness. First antibiotic caused nausea and vomitting, Cipro, so they are changing it. Why would I have UTI with no symptoms but have these other severe symptoms.

Answered by Dr. Ronald Schubert (-4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
More than likely kidney infection.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for contacting HCM with your health care concerns

You recently had infection which was diagnosed as a Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in the urinary tract infection. You did not notice any frequency or urgency or burning on urination so how could it be a UTI? The answer is that the infection is not from the bladder but higher up in the kidney. Since in an bladder infection the lining of the bladder is irritated and spasmotic which causes the burning and pain in the lower bladder area. But in a kidney infection the infection is higher up more like in the area just below your back ribs. This will still cause the fever chills and body aches but not the lower frequency and urgency of a lower tract infection.

I hope this answers your question. Please contact us again if you have any additional questions.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar