Urine Culture, Urology Extended Workup

Test Details

Use

This test is a semiquantitative culture used to isolate and identify bacterial causes of a urinary tract infection. It allows for isolation and identification of bacteria present in low numbers in the urinary tract by detecting up to three pathogenic bacterial organisms at levels down to 100 cfu/mL.

This test can be considered if additional workup beyond that provided by Urine Culture, Routine [008847] is needed: when recommended by a specialist for patients with urological malformations under a urologist’s care, or for in-and-out/straight catheter specimen, kidney and suprapubic aspirates or cytoscopic specimens. 

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.

Test Includes

Culture; quantitation, isolation, identification (additional charges/CPT code[s] may apply), and susceptibility testing of up to three organisms at >100 colonies/mL if culture results warrant (additional charges/CPT code[s] may apply). CPT coding for microbiology and virology procedures often cannot be determined before the culture is performed. Requests with only a written order and no test number indicated will be processed according to Default Testing for Routine Microbiology.

Methodology

Culture

Related Documents

For more information, please view the literature below.

Microbiology Specimen Collection and Transport Guide

References

McCarter YS, Burd EM, Hall GS, Zervos M. Laboratory diagnosis of urinary tract infections. Sharp SE, ed. Cumitech 2C, Washington, DC: ASM Press; 2009.
Ronald AR, Nicolle LE, Harding GKM. Standards of therapy for urinary tract infections in adults. Infection. 1992;20(Suppl 3):S164-S170.1490743
Stamm WE. Criteria for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection and for the assessment of therapeutic effectiveness. Infection. 1992;20(Suppl 3):S151-S159.1490740

Specimen Requirements

Information on collection, storage, and volume

Specimen

Urine

Volume

To minimum fill line (4 mL) on Vacutainer® gray-top urine culture transport tube with preservative (preferred)

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.

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

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.