URINE CULTURE, ROUTINE

Test Code

LAB239

Preferred Specimen

Urine in sterile leak-proof container or vacutainer urine culture kit (grey top)

Minimum Volume

1 mL urine

Instructions

The first AM specimen is the best collection for culture. Specimen should be received in the laboratory within two hours of collection. For clean-catch urines makes sure samples are obtained midstream and urethral meatus/peri-urethral mucosa is cleansed thoroughly prior to collection.
Cultures will only be performed when the following criteria are met: a positive nitrite or leukocyte esterase on the urine macroscopic
or the presence of white blood cells in the urine microscopic. If the patient is pediatric, neutropenic or a nephrology patient, please see
test code URCGP URINE CULTURE (PEDIATRIC/NEUTROPENIC/ NEPHROLOGY)

Transport Container

Vacutainer urine culture kit (grey top)

Transport Temperature

Ambient

Specimen Stability

Ambient: 48 hours (in vacutainer urine culture kit-grey top)
Refrigerated: 24 hours

Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)

Specimens with contaminated outer container or specimens that have been at room temperature longer than two hours will be rejected for culture. Urine Drug Screen Cups are not sterile and therefore not acceptable for culture. Only one specimen per twenty-four hours will be accepted. Urine from Foley bags or 24 hour urines will not be accepted.

Methodology
Culture

Setup Schedule

Sunday-Saturday

Performing Laboratory
West Virginia University Hospital, Inc.
Berkeley Medical Center
Braxton County Memorial
Camden Clark Medical Center
Jackson General Hospital
Jefferson Medical Center
Princeton Community Hospital
Reynolds Memorial Hospital
Summersville Regional Medical Center
St. Joseph’s Hospital
United Hospital Center
Uniontown Hospital
Wetzel County Hospital
Wheeling Hospital

The CPT Codes provided in this document are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the payor being billed. Any Profile/panel component may be ordered separately. Reflex tests are performed at an additional charge.