What is a Urine Culture Test?
The bacteria or yeast that are causing a urinary tract infection can be found with a urine culture test. An antibiotic sensitivity test can determine which antibiotic is most likely to eradicate a particular strain of bacteria if they start to grow. If you frequently get UTIs that are difficult to cure, your doctor could recommend a urine culture.
A urine culture test looks for microorganisms (germs) that cause infections in the urine. Your body's liquid waste is urinated (pee). Culture is a term used for growing microorganisms like bacteria or yeast in a laboratory setting.
A urine sample receives growth-promoting additives from a lab. If yeast (a fungus) or bacteria are present, they begin to grow. Your urinary system may be infected, as shown by this growth.
What is the use of a urine culture test?
Urine culture tests are used to screen for urinary tract infections. A UTI can happen when bacteria get into the urethra, the tube that expels urine from your body. The bladder is where most UTIs start. Your UTI Can also affect the prostate and kidneys, which produce urine.
Additionally, a urine culture test:
Helps in diagnosing the bacteria or yeast causing the infection so your doctor can choose the best course of action and check to see if the bacterium is antibiotic-resistant.
What is the need of a urine culture test?
If you experience frequent or difficult-to-treat UTIs, your doctor may recommend a urine culture test. Typically, only those with UTI symptoms require a urine culture. All genders are susceptible to UTIs, although women are more likely than males to experience them.
How to prepare for a urine culture?
If there are any additional precautions you need to take before delivering a urine sample, your healthcare professional will let you know.
Your medical professional would request that you:
- Give a urine sample after waiting at least an hour without urinating.
- To guarantee that there is enough pee to test, drink at least 8 ounces of water 20 minutes before the sample collection.
- Collect the Urine Sample as you wake up
What happens during a urine culture test?
A clean urine sample is necessary for a urine culture. During a urine culture test, you might be asked to give a urine sample at a lab testing facility or your doctor's office. You could also collect the urine sample at home in some circumstances.
The steps consist of the following :
- Use soap and water to wash your hands.
- The urethral hole should be carefully cleaned with an antiseptic swab (the vulva and vaginal area or the head of the penis).
- Urine should be released into the toilet for a little period of time before stopping.
- Before you start peeing again, place a clean cup beneath the vulva or penis. Keep the cup away from your skin.
- Fill the cup with the specified volume of urine (usually 1 to 2 ounces). Most people finish peeing before filling the cup.
- Hold the cup until you're done.
- Place the cup in the specified collecting location, cover it with the supplied lid, and set it down. Remember to wash your hands once more.
What are the risks of urine culture?
The clean catch method of providing a urine sample is highly safe.
What do results imply?
A positive result from a urine culture test
A positive result means you have a UTI if bacteria develop in the urine culture test and you also exhibit symptoms of an infection or bladder discomfort. A positive urine culture test result or an abnormal test result is this one. The bacteria in the cultivated sample are subjected to an antibiotic sensitivity test in the lab. This test, which is also known as an antibiotic susceptibility test, detects the kind of bacteria causing the infection and the medications that will kill the bacterium. Your healthcare professional can choose the most efficient antibiotic medication for treatment. Only specific germs are resistant to particular antibiotics. Some microorganisms are resistant to antibiotics. This indicates that the antibiotic is no longer able to prevent the growth of that particular bacterium. Infections with antibiotic resistance are more challenging to treat.
A negative result from a urine culture test
A negative urine culture test result indicates that there were no bacteria or yeast traces in the urine sample. A UTI is not present in you. Depending on the facility doing the test, the range for normal test results might change. Your healthcare practitioner may request imaging scans or another testing if you have symptoms like painful urination (dysuria) or blood in the urine (hematuria) for many days. Rarely, these symptoms may be a sign of bladder cancer.
Important information to know about urine culture tests?
A urine culture examines for the microorganisms that result in UTIs. A test for antibiotic sensitivity can identify the bacteria in your UTI. The optimum medication to treat your infection is selected with the aid of this information by your healthcare practitioner. To be sure your infection is gone, a urine culture test can be performed following therapy. For the majority of persons, a lab just needs a clean urine sample to perform the test. On rare occasions, a catheter may be used by a medical professional to get your urine sample. Ask your doctor what you may do to reduce your chance of developing UTIs if you are prone to them.
