What Is Uroculture And What Is It Used For?
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common. Scientific studies estimate that between 50% and 60% of women will suffer a urinary tract infection during their lifetime. Many germs can cause these problems. In this article, we will explain what uroculture is and what it is used for.
In 1995, the direct and indirect costs of these infections in the United States were estimated at $1.6 billion. Of course, the science of identifying the pathogen that caused the infection is essential, as it allows the patient to recover quickly.
What is uroculture and what is it used for?
First of all, we must emphasize that uroculture and urine analysis are not the same thing. The latter consists of a series of tests, including macroscopic and microscopic tests, physico-chemical tests and, if necessary, a microbial culture of urine.
Therefore, not all urine tests require a urine culture for diagnostic purposes. According to the National Library of Medicine in the United States, medical professionals consider uroculture when they suspect a urinary tract infection in adults and children.
How is the sample taken?
Most often, the patient takes the urine sample home and then takes it to the health care provider’s office. The Clinical Microbiology Committee of the Chilean Society of Infectious Diseases mentioned all the steps in a scientific document.
This is a crucial step, as the fluid can be contaminated with commensal bacteria on the patient’s skin and genitourinary tract. According to the American Society of Microbiology, any sample with less than 5% contamination is considered viable.
There are several methods of collecting samples, but we will focus on the most common. The patient urinates in a container at home and then takes the sample to a testing laboratory. For this procedure, you must take into account the following rules:
Symptoms of urinary tract infection
The result of uroculture
The test results are easy to interpret. Normal values indicate that everything is in order, thus excluding a bacterial infection. A positive test result involves the presence of bacteria or fungi in an area of the urinary tract.
In this case, the doctor in charge of the case will prescribe antibiotics or antifungals. Do not forget to strictly follow the recommendations of the specialist, because discontinuation of treatment could lead to complications.
Urinary culture during pregnancy: is it important?
According to the website of the non-profit organization Inatal, urine culture during pregnancy is very important. Pregnant women are more prone to bacterial infections due to physiological changes that occur during pregnancy.
In addition, many infections are asymptomatic. However, even if a urinary tract infection does not cause clinical signs in the mother, it can lead to unwanted complications, such as an increased risk of premature labor.
As you can see, urine culture is an important part of the urine test when the doctor suspects an infection in the patient. This simple laboratory technique allows scientists to isolate and identify the pathogen.
Patients can easily collect urine sample at home. However, some exceptional cases require suprapubic aspiration or catheters. Negative urine culture indicates the absence of bacteria in the genitourinary tract, while positive culture requires the use of antibiotics or antifungals.
