Culture, Urine, Routine [395X]

665

If culture is positive, CPT code(s): 87088 (each isolate) will be added with an additional charge.
Identification will be performed at an additional charge (CPT code(s): 87077 or 87140 or 87143 or 87147 or 87149).
Antibiotic susceptibilities are only performed when appropriate (CPT code(s): 87181 or 87184 or 87185 or 87186).

4 mL random, clean catch, midstream urine collection in gray-top urine transport tube or UriSponge™ transport

Preserved: gray-top transport must be filled to minimum line printed on tube • Completely saturated UriSponge transport • Unpreserved: 0.5 mL urine

Indwelling catheter collected urine • Unpreserved urine specimens <3 mL or from pediatric, patients with renal abnormalities, or difficult collections are acceptable when placed in a sterile leak-proof container

Gray-top tube: Fill to the fill line (4 mL) indicated on the tube label.
UriSponge transport: Dip sponge applicator into the urine sample and submerge for 5 seconds. Remove applicator from the urine sample and return it to UriSponge transport, securing tightly.

Preserved: Room temperature
Unpreserved: Refrigerated (cold packs) only

Preserved
Room temperature: 48 hours
Refrigerated: 48 hours
Frozen: Unacceptable

Unpreserved
Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 24 hours
Frozen: Unacceptable

Expired transport devices • Leaking specimens • Specimens submitted in transports other than those listed as acceptable • Unpreserved urine >3 mL • Urine tube not filled to minimum fill line • Foley tips • Specimens collected from catheter bag • 24-hour urine collections • Uricult devices • Inadequately saturated UriSponge • UriSponge transport filled with urine

Set up: Daily; Report available: 3 days

No growth

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are among the most common human infections. Infections may involve the urethra, bladder, kidneys, other organs, or adjacent tissues and may be complicated by bacteremia. The predictors of UTI are pyuria and bacteriuria. Microscopy and other rapid detection systems can detect pyuria. In voiding, the urine must pass through sites containing normal flora. Quantitative culturing of urine is an established tool to differentiate significant bacteriuria from contamination introduced during voiding. However, studies have shown that when the calibrated method is performed, even perfectly, colony counts are only approximations.