Home › Biomarkers › Urine leukocytes
Leukocytes in urine are white blood cells in your urine. A urine test looks for signs of them, and white blood cells in your urine can point to a urinary tract condition.[1]
On this page you can read what urine leukocytes are, what the guidelines say about a value that is too low or too high, what affects your value and which values are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: white blood cells in urine, leukocytes in urine. At the lab: USTX.
A urine test looks at various cells, substances and other particles in a small amount of urine. One of the things the lab looks for is signs of white blood cells. These are also called leukocytes.[1]
The test is used to look at your general health. That includes the health of your urinary tract and your kidneys.[1]
A doctor may order the test as part of a routine check-up, or if you have symptoms that could point to the urinary tract.[1]
Urinary tract conditions are very common, especially in women. They usually involve the bladder and the urethra. Fortunately, they are usually not serious.[1]
If a condition like this is left untreated, it can spread to the kidneys. That can be serious. This is why it matters that a doctor looks at it early.[1]
Symptoms that can fit with this include needing to urinate often, pain or burning when you urinate, dark, cloudy or reddish urine and urine that smells bad. In older people, it can also show up as weakness, tiredness or confusion. A fever can point to a kidney condition. If you have symptoms like these, see your healthcare provider.[1]
Labplusarts, the lab BioProfile works with, does not give a numerical limit for leukocytes in urine. It is a qualitative measurement. The lab calls a value within the reference range normal.[2]
| Value | What the lab says | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| No numerical limit (qualitative measurement)[2] | The lab calls a value within the reference range normal | Everyone for whom the lab carries out this measurement |
Source: Labplusarts reference value for leukocytes in urine (USTX). Applies to the measurement at this lab.[2]
If white blood cells are found in your urine, this can point to a condition of the urinary tract. Your healthcare provider will also look at other results, such as nitrite. Sometimes they will ask for a urine culture to see how many bacteria are in your urine and which ones. Talk to your healthcare provider about what your result means for you.[1]
BioProfile is working on its own zones for each value, from risk to optimal. A doctor reviews those zones before they appear in your result.
Follow the instructions for a clean catch carefully. Wash your hands, clean your genital area with the wipe and pass a little urine into the toilet first before you fill the pot. This keeps germs from your skin out of the urine.[1]
If you have your period, or you are losing blood around the anus from bleeding veins there, tell your healthcare provider before the test.[1]
For this test, you sometimes need to stop taking certain medicines. So tell your healthcare provider about everything you take. Never stop a medicine on your own, only when your healthcare provider tells you to.[1]
Home test strips also check for white blood cells in your urine. They are quick and easy, but not always correct. They can say there is nothing there when there is. If you are unsure, ask your healthcare provider which test is right for you.[1]
White blood cells in urine are included in BioProfile 77, 87, 121 and 150.[3]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 10 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 10 October 2026. Every number on this page appears in one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert has yet to check this page; after that check, the expert's name and the date of the check will appear at the top. This page offers explanation, not a diagnosis. Discuss a value outside the range with your GP.
