Test Overview
Quantitative Culture
To isolate and identify organisms causing urinary tract infection.
No significant organisms isolated.
* Reference ranges may change over time. Please refer to the original patient report when evaluating results.
The following will be reported:
10,000-100,000 CFU/mL: 1-2 pathogen;
1,000 - 10,000 CFU/mL: pure culture of gram negative rod;
>1,000 CFU/ml: Beta Strep Group A, Beta Strep Group B if patient is <1month old or female aged 12 - 50 years(as this information may be of importance during pregnancy).
Bacteria present in numbers less than 1,000 CFU/mL will not be detected.
Cultures growing 3 or more potential pathogens will be rejected.
Normal skin flora includes: coagulase negative Staphylococcus (not saprophyticus) unless predominant, alpha and gamma streptococci, Neisseria sp (not N. gonorrhoeae or N. meningtidis), Micrococcus, diphtheroids/Lactobacillus and Bacillus sp (not B. anthracis).
Test Details
Preliminary results are reported in 18-24 hours. Negative results are reported after 24 hours.
- Urine, Clean Catch, Routine Culture
- Aerobic Culture, Clean Catch Urine
- Culture, Urine, Clean Catch, Aerobic
- Routine Culture, Clean Catch Urine
- Urine, Bagged, Routine Culture
Specimen Requirements
Thoroughly instruct patient for proper collection of a clean catch midstream urine specimen. MLabs Clean Catch Urine Specimen Collection Instructions are available online at https://mlabs.umich.edu/media/180. Avoid contamination with normal flora from skin, rectum or vagina. If a clean catch urine cannot be obtained from an infant, obtain a bagged specimen: clean area as for a clean catch, attach U-bag, and put collected urine into a sterile container. Mark the container "Bagged Urine, Pediatric Patient". For optimum recovery, send immediately. If specimen must be stored, refrigerate immediately after specimen collection. A Vacutainer® Urine C&S Transport kit may be used to store specimens for routine urine culture. The Vacutainer® tube contains a lyophilized preservative that prevents the proliferation of bacteria in specimens that must remain at room temperature for an extended period prior to transport to the laboratory. Note that this kit is for microbiology urine cultures only; the specimen cannot be used for any urine chemistry test. Contact the MLabs Client Services Center for kits and instructions.
Refrigerated: Sterile container up to 24 hours or Urine (grey top) Vacutainer® C&S preservative tube up to 48 hours.
Frozen: No
Additional Information
Bagged urine cultures which are growing multiple organisms should be repeated with a catheterized urine or a suprapubic urine. Potentially pathogenic organism will be identified. Test includes susceptibility testing of potentially pathogenic organism(s) at an additional charge unless specifically declined.