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Test Code LAB239 Urine Culture

Important Note

There are two different test options for urinalysis testing, one with culture reflex and one without.

Urinalysis No Culture LAB3195

Urinalysis with Reflex Microscopic and Culture if Indicated LAB3094

Test Performed By

Cayuga Medical Center, Main Laboratory

Container Name

URINE GRAY (preserved)

Uricult

Day(s) and Time(s) Test Performed

Monday through Sunday; Continuously

CPT Codes

87086

Temperature

Room Temperature or Refrigerated

Specimen Collection Instructions

Clean catch specimens - First morning voiding is preferred. Clean peri-urethral area well with packaged wipe towelettes. Flush the urethral area by discarding the first portion of the voided urine.  Collect the rest in a sterile container. See Urine Collection Guide for detailed information.

Note: When collecting urine for GC/Chlamydia AND urinalysis/culture please collect the GC/Chlamydia urine first before any surface urethral cleaning is done. Collect a second clean catch urine specimen for the urinalysis/culture

 

Foley catheterization – see separate procedure from CMC Nursing Procedure.

Extreme care should be taken with cleaning process so specimen is not contaminated.             

Urine from the catheter bag and foley tips are NOT acceptable for culture.

 

Straight Catheterization – see separate procedure from CMC Nursing Procedures

 

Specimen Type

Urine

Specimen Stability

Gray top tube - 48 hours room temperature or refrigerated 

 

Unpreserved urine - 2 hours room temperature or 24 hours refrigerated

Clinical and Interpretive

This assay is useful in the diagnosis of urinary tract infections. Quantitative culture results may be helpful in discriminating contamination, colonization, and infection.

 

Urinary tract infection (UTI) encompasses a broad range of clinical entities that vary in their clinical presentation, degree of tissue invasion, epidemiologic setting, and antibiotic therapy requirements. There are 4 major types of UTIs: urethritis, cystitis, acute urethral syndrome, and pyelonephritis. UTIs may also be classified as uncomplicated or complicated.

 

Escherichia coli is the leading cause of uncomplicated community-acquired UTI. Risk factors that predispose one to complicated UTIs include: underlying diseases that are associated with kidney infection (eg, diabetes), kidney stones, structural or functional urinary tract abnormalities, and indwelling urinary catheters. Another classification of UTIs is as upper UTI (related to the kidney, renal pelvis, or ureter) or lower UTI (urinary bladder and urethra). The classic symptoms of upper UTI are fever (often with chills) and flank pain; frequent painful urination, urgency, and dysuria are more often associated with lower UTI.

 

Although urine is normally sterile, contamination by organisms normally present in the urethra or on periurethral surfaces can allow a proliferation of these organisms yielding misleading urine culture results. Proper collection is of utmost importance.