- How the exam is done
- How to understand the result
- Other tests to detect urinary tract infection
- When to do urine culture in pregnancy
Uroculture, also called urine culture or urine culture, serves not only to confirm the diagnosis of urinary infection, but also to detect which bacteria are involved, in order to better adapt the treatment.
Normally, for the results to be more accurate, it is advisable to collect the first urine in the morning, however, the test can be done during the day. The container where the urine is placed must be sterile and can be purchased at the pharmacy, but it can also be provided by the laboratory or hospital where the test will be performed and, preferably, it must be quickly closed and taken in a short time for the analysis of laboratory to avoid contamination.
- Along with urine culture, the doctor can also order an antibiogram, in which you can find out which antibiotics the bacterium responsible for the infection is sensitive or resistant to, helping the doctor to prescribe the best medicine. This test can also be called a urine culture test with ATB, which means antibiogram, or urine culture test with TSA, which means test for sensitivity to antimicrobials or antibiotics.
How the exam is done
To collect the uroculture exam, it is necessary to perform a step-by-step, which includes:
- Wash the intimate area with soap and water; Remove the lips from the vagina in the woman and retract the foreskin in the man; Discard the first stream of urine; Collect the remaining urine in the proper container.
The urine can stay up to 2 hours at room temperature, however, the container must be delivered as soon as possible to the laboratory, for the results to be more reliable. It is not necessary to be fasting to take the exam.
Another way to collect the uroculture exam can be with the use of a tube, also called bladder catheterization, as a way to guarantee a collection as free of contamination as possible, but, generally, this type of collection is done in people who are in hospital.
How to understand the result
The result of the urine culture test can be:
- Negative or normal: when there is no growth of bacterial colonies in the urine at worrying values; Positive: when it is possible to identify more than 100, 000 bacterial colonies. In this case, the result may still include the name of the bacterium and antibiotics that are effective or not in the treatment.
In addition, as with any exam, especially if not done correctly, the result can be considered:
- False positive: it happens in situations where there is contamination of the urine by other microorganisms, blood or medication; False negative: it can happen when the pH of the urine is very acidic, below 6, or when an antibiotic or diuretic is being used.
The result may still be doubtful if the number of colonies is less than 100, 000 and there may be a need to repeat the test.
However, it is necessary for the doctor to also evaluate other signs and symptoms that indicate urinary tract infection, to assess what type of treatment is necessary, according to each case. Learn to identify the symptoms that indicate urinary tract infection and when to go to the doctor.
Other tests to detect urinary tract infection
Although urine culture is the main test for diagnosing urinary tract infection, the common urine test, also called urine type 1, EAS or routine urine, can also provide some evidence of urinary tract infection, such as the presence of bacteria, pocytes, leukocytes, blood, positive nitrite or changes in color, smell and consistency, for example.
Therefore, the doctor will be able to evaluate the result of this test and observe the symptoms and physical examination of the patient to identify the infection, without necessarily requesting urine culture, as it is a simpler test and the result is faster, since urine culture may take up to 3 days to be ready. Learn more about what the urine test is for and how to do it.
However, urine culture is necessary, mainly, to assess whether the antibiotic used is the most suitable, to identify the bacterium in cases of repeated infections, pregnant women, the elderly, people who will undergo urinary tract surgery, or when there are doubts about that this is a urinary tract infection, for example.
When to do urine culture in pregnancy
The urine culture test is done during pregnancy for the obstetrician to assess whether or not the pregnant woman has a urinary tract infection which, if not properly treated, can cause childbirth ahead of time.
The urine culture test does not detect pregnancy, only if the pregnant woman has a urinary infection or not, but there is a specific urine test to detect pregnancy through the amount of the hormone hCG in the urine.
