Urine Culture
Guide
What To Think About
- A urine culture done in the early stage of a urinary tract infection (UTI) may be less accurate than one that is done after the infection becomes established.
- A urine culture may be done when an abnormal result from a urinalysis (such as an increased number of white blood cells) shows signs of an infection. To learn more, see the topic Urine Test.
- A urine culture may be repeated after the UTI has been treated to make sure the infection is cured.
- A health professional may collect a urine sample by placing a urinary catheter into the bladder. This method is sometimes used to collect urine from a person in the hospital who is very ill or unable to provide a clean-catch sample. Using a catheter to collect a urine sample reduces the chance of getting bacteria from the skin or genital area in the urine sample, but catheter use sometimes causes a UTI.
- People who have a urinary catheter in place for a long time are at high risk for developing a UTI.
- Collecting a urine sample from a small child or baby may be done by using a special plastic bag with tape around its opening (a U bag). The bag is attached around the child's genitals until he or she urinates (usually within an hour). Then the bag is carefully removed. To collect a urine sample from a very sick baby, a doctor may insert a needle through the baby's abdomen directly into the bladder (suprapubic tap).
- To diagnose tuberculosis that has spread to the urinary tract, a special test will be done using all of the first morning urine on three separate days.
- Sensitivity testing helps your doctor choose the best medicine to treat specific types of bacteria or fungus that may be causing a UTI.
- Some types of bacteria or fungi may take several weeks to grow in the culture.
Other Works Consulted
Chernecky CC, Berger BJ (2008). Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures, 5th ed. St. Louis: Saunders.
Fischbach FT, Dunning MB III, eds. (2009). Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 8th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Pagana KD, Pagana TJ (2010). Mosby’s Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, 4th ed. St. Louis: Mosby Elsevier.