OVERVIEW
MDL Test Name
Urine Culture
MDL Test Code
URN_CULT
Ask at Order Questions
N/A
Specimen Source
Urine, Specify collection method (i.e.: clean catch, foley catheter, cystoscopy, etc.)
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENTS
Container/Tube
BD Vacutainer Urine C&S Tube (Preserved) [Preferred]
Sterile Container (Unpreserved)
Specimen Volume (minimum)
BD Vacutainer Urine C&S Tube: must be filled to minimum line printed on the tube (4mL)
Unpreserved: 0.5mL
Sample Stability Time
BD Vacutainer (Preserved): 48 hours
Sterile Container (Unpreserved, Refrigerated): 24 hours
Please notify MDL if a STAT courier is needed to meet this time.
Transport/Storage Conditions
BD Vacutainer: Ambient (20 – 25°C) or Refrigerated (2 – 8°C)
Sterile Container: Refrigerated (2 – 8°C)
Patient Preparation / Collection Instructions
Refer to the Urine Culture Specimen Collection Guide
PERFORMANCE
Days Performed
Daily; Monday – Sunday
Report Available (TAT) – (Once received at MDL)
2 – 4 days
Specimen Retention Time
7 days
Method Description
Conventional aerobic bacterial culture technique with selective and non-selective media.
Identification methods (when appropriate) may include any of the following: conventional biochemical testing, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and commercial identification panels.
Susceptibility testing (when appropriate) may include minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) (broth microdilution or gradient strip diffusion) or disk diffusion.
Reference Values
No growth
Cautions
Unrefrigerated, unpreserved urine specimens greater than two hours old may be subject to overgrowth with organisms normally present in the urethral and periurethral areas, which may yield inaccurate or misleading results.