Urine Culture

Catheterized Specimen
This procedure should be restricted to patients unable to produce a midstream specimen, and should be performed aseptically to avoid inducing nosocomial infection.

1. Avoid sending urine that has remained stagnant in catheter tubing for any length of time; do not send catheter bag urine except in the case of neonates or young infants when special precautions have been taken; and avoid sending urine from catheters that have been in place longer than 5 to 9 days.

2. Discard first few milliliters of urine from catheter to wash out any organisms that may have lodged in catheter tip during transit through urethra.
3. Clean catheter with an alcohol sponge and collect urine using a Catheter Collection Kit.
4. Urine may also be collected from soft rubber connector between catheter and collecting tubing.
5. Foley catheter tips are unsuitable for culture because they are invariably contaminated with urethral organisms.
6. Pour urine into a a screw-capped, sterile container. Mix well.
7. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, and type of specimen.
8. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Clean-Catch, Midstream

This procedure is the most commonly used.

1. Collect 30 mL to 50 mL from a random urine collection in a screw-capped, sterile container or use a Midstream Collection Kit. Do not exceed 2 hours.

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, and type of specimen.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly. DO NOT COLLECT SPECIMENS IN BED PANS
 4. Pediatric specimens can be collected in a U-Bag to ensure sterility.

Cytoscopic Urine, Kidney Drainage

1. Collect urine in a screw-capped, sterile container. Specimen is generally collected by a physician.
2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, and type of specimen.
3. Send specimen refrigerated. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing

Suprapubic Aspirate
This procedure is reserved almost exclusively for neonates and small children or, occasionally, for adults with clinically suspected urinary tract infections in which clean-catch specimens have failed to establish a diagnosis. This is the only acceptable specimen for anaerobic culture of urine.

1. Decontaminate suprapubic skin.

2. Aspirate 10 mL of urine with a needle and syringe and place in a screw-capped, sterile container. Specimen is generally collected by a physician.
3. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, and type of specimen.
4. Send specimen refrigerated. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing.