- Test Name:
- Urine culture, invasive (Edmonton/Central/North)
- Organism(s)/Disease(s):
-
Urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Body Source(s):
-
Cystoscopy
Nephrostomy
Suprapubic aspirate
Ureterostomy
-
Clinical Prerequisite(s):
-
Provision of relevant clinical information is important to ensure a clinically relevant result
- State specimen source - Specify Collection method
- State current/proposed antibiotic therapy and start date
- Provide clinical history. State symptoms, signs, and risk factors for UTI
- Provide any antimicrobial allergies
Invasively collected urines are obtained using aseptic or sterile procedures and should therefore be free of contaminating flora. They may be collected when non-invasively collected specimens fail to detect a pathogen in a symptomatic patient. As such, they are processed differently than non-invasive urines:
- Low bacterial counts (105 to 106 CFU/L) of pure/predominant organisms may be considered significant
- Additional media are used for the recovery of fastidious uropathogens
The diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is CLINICAL, based on symptoms and signs, NOT laboratory testing
Urine should be sent for culture only AFTER there is a strong clinical suspicion of UTI, to find the causative bacterium and its antibiotic susceptibilities
The role of urine culture is to guide the selection of antibiotic therapy
Urine MUST be collected BEFORE starting antibiotics
- Collection Device/Tube Type:
-
BD Vacutainer (blue-top) urine culture collection cup
BD Vacutainer (grey-top) preservation tube
- Collection Instructions:
-
1.
2.
Using sterile technique, collect 30 mL of urine and place in the BD collection cup (blue-top). Close lid
3.
Transfer urine into grey-top tube immediately
4.
Submit grey-top tube only. Dispose of blue transfer device according to your facility’s policy
- Handling and Storage:
-
Room temperature
- Handling/Storage Comments:
-
Urine submitted in GREY-TOP tubes can be stored and transported at room temperature
Delivery to the laboratory should be as soon as possible (or within 2 hours) to expedite the result and the initiation of therapy
- Rejection Criteria:
-
- Mislabelled or unlabelled specimen/requisition
- More than 1 specimen/collection method/day
- Pooled 24-hour urine collection
- Leaking container
- Underfilled or overfilled grey-top preservative tubes
- Expired preservative tubes
- Urinalysis tubes
- Unpreserved urine specimen (not in preservative tube)
- Turnaround Times
- See Microbiology Information»
- Comments:
-
Anaerobic culture only performed on request and after consultation with the Microbiologist on Call.
Contact Microbiologist on Call for any concerns regarding culture results
Phone: 780-451-3702
Toll free: 1-800-661-9876 - Last Reviewed:
- 06 May 2023
