Book Urine Culture Test

There are various reasons your doctor may advise you to get a urine culture test, like:

• If you’re diagnosed with a kidney ailment or a UTI, a urine culture test is done to rule out infection-causing bacteria.
• As a part of routine medical checkups, to test pregnancy or pre-operation management.
• To evaluate various disorders like liver disease, diabetes, kidney stones, etc.

Below are the signs & symptoms of a UTI, if found, a Urine Culture test is ordered:

• An urge to urinate, but nothing or little comes out.
• A burning sensation while peeing, every time.
• Release of yellowish or strong-smelling urine.
• In severe case of infection, you may be experiencing fever and abdominal pain along with the above signs.

The purpose of the Urine Culture test is to determine if there are infection-causing bacteria present inside the urine tube, or anywhere close to the urinary tract. Bacteria that commonly cause UTIs are:

• E-Coli
• Klebsiella
• Proteus
• Enterobacter
• Staphylococcus

Positive report: Keeping the urine sample mixed with a medical solution that aids in the growth of target bacteria for 1-2 days reveals their presence or absence. The presence of single bacteria growing at high colony counts is considered a ‘positive’ urine culture report.

Negative report: No growth of bacteria for 24 to 48 hours under microscopic observation in the labs suggests a ‘negative’ urine culture report, hence no harmful germs found.  In case the symptoms persist, your doctor may advise you another sample testing after a few days.

Although it doesn’t require any major instruction, a few important things to note are:

• If you’re on antibiotics or any medication, do tell your doctor before taking the test as it may impact the results.
• You may be asked to drink more water 30 minutes prior to the test to ensure there is enough urine produced for the sample.
• You may be asked to not urinate an hour before sample collection.

It is as simple as urinating. However, depending upon the type of culture, you may be given specific instructions.

• The aim is to provide a few milliliters mid-stream urine sample, collected in a clean universal container.
• Clean the point of urination on your genitals before peeing with water only. Do not use soap or any other chemical.
• Ensure your genitals are not touching the box.

Hand over the sample to the concerned health care.

There are no risks associated with the urine culture test. However, it is best to know the below-mentioned points beforehand:

• Your urine sample may contain severely harmful pathogens and virus.
• To prevent any spread, be careful while collecting the sample and wash your hands thoroughly before and after collecting the sample.