URINE CULTURE
Test:
590
CPT:
87086
Synonyms
1-Culture, Urine, Comprehensive
Special Instructions
Unrefrigerated unpreserved urine specimens greater than two hours old may be subject to overgrowth with organisms normally present in the urethra and periurethral areas, and may yield inaccurate or misleading results. If specimens are incorrectly submitted with an order for aerobic bacterial culture, the laboratory will process the specimen for the test based on the source listed on the request form. The client will not be contacted to approve this change, but the change will be indicated on the report.
Expected Turnaround Time
3 – 5 days
Specimen Requirements
Specimen
3 – 5 days
Volume
To minimum fill line (4 mL) on Vacutainer® gray-top urine culture transport tube with preservative (preferred)
Minimum Volume
Container
Vacutainer® gray-top urine culture transport tube with preservative (preferred). If less than 4 mL of urine is collected, usually from pediatric and geriatric patients or from a catheter, submit refrigerated in a sterile, screw cap container or tube. Do not submit low volume urine specimens in underfilled gray top tubes.
Collection
Clean catch midstream collection. First morning specimens yield highest bacterial counts from overnight incubation in the bladder, and are the best specimens. Read Patient Preparation.
Storage Instructions
Preserved: Room temperature
Unpreserved: Refrigerated for 24 hours
Causes for Rejection
Unrefrigerated, unpreserved specimen greater than two hours old; unlabeled specimen or name discrepancy between specimen and request label; specimen in expired transport container; specimen received after prolonged delay (usually more than 48 hours for urine); specimen collected from a Foley catheter bag; specimen in nonsterile or leaking container
Test Details
Use
Semiquantitative culture to isolate and identify bacterial causes of urinary tract infection. Isolate and identify bacteria present in low numbers in the urinary tract. Detect up to three pathogenic bacterial organisms at levels down to 100 cfu/mL.