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What does it mean when leukocytes are in your urine?

Author

Zoe Patterson

Updated on February 28, 2026

What does it mean when leukocytes are in your urine?

If your doctor tests your urine and finds too many leukocytes, it could be a sign of infection. Leukocytes are white blood cells that help your body fight germs. When you have more of these than usual in your urine, it’s often a sign of a problem somewhere in your urinary tract.

How do I read my urinalysis results?

Normal values are as follows:

  1. Color – Yellow (light/pale to dark/deep amber)
  2. Clarity/turbidity – Clear or cloudy.
  3. pH – 4.5-8.
  4. Specific gravity – 1.005-1.025.
  5. Glucose – ≤130 mg/d.
  6. Ketones – None.
  7. Nitrites – Negative.
  8. Leukocyte esterase – Negative.

What indicates a urine infection on a dipstick?

Guidance from PHE [PHE, 2017] states that if dipstick is positive for nitrite or leukocyte and red blood cells (RBC) UTI is likely; if urine dipstick is negative for nitrite and positive for leukocyte, UTI is equally likely to other diagnoses; and if urine dipstick is negative for all nitrite, leukocyte and RBC UTI …

Would a kidney infection show on a dipstick?

Some of the things a dipstick examination can check for include: Acidity (pH) is a measure of the amount of acid in the urine. A pH that is above normal may be a sign of kidney stones, urinary infections, kidney problems, or other disorders.

Would a kidney infection show up in a urine test?

To confirm that you have a kidney infection, you’ll likely be asked to provide a urine sample to test for bacteria, blood or pus in your urine. Your doctor might also take a blood sample for a culture — a lab test that checks for bacteria or other organisms in your blood.

What can cause leukocytes in urine Besides UTI?

The following can also cause raised levels of leukocytes in the urine:

  • some cancers, such as prostate, bladder, or kidney cancer.
  • blood diseases such as sickle cell anemia.
  • some pain relieving medicines.
  • interstitial cystitis.

What color is a positive UTI test?

The test is a firm plastic strip onto which Leukocyte and Nitrite test pads are attached. If the test is positive, the Leukocyte test pad should be beige to dark purple, and the Nitrite test pad should be uniform pink to red.