Sign in →

Test Code URC Culture, Urine, Bacteria

Important Note

Order test code UAC - Urinalysis Micro and Macro with reflex urine culture.

Culture performed if the leukocyte esterase is positive or >5 WBCs are observed (test code URCRC).

Additional Codes

 If your patient is in one of the following categories, a culture can be ordered without urinalysis.

Patient category Test Code
Failed therapy for UTI URCUTI
Neutropenic with ANC <1000 URCANC
Pediatric URCPE
Positive Point-of Care (POC) Urinalysis (UA) URCPOC
Pregnant URCP
Transplant URCT
Urology patient or patient with Urologic hardware URCU
Urology/Urogynecology patient URCUP

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Urine , grey top tube, Boric acid transport. Strerile container acceptable for Pediatric patients. Specify collection type: Clean voided, mid-stream clean catch, straight or foley catheterized, etc.

Preferred Specimen: Random sample

Other Acceptable specimens: not applicable 

Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions

UCMC Onsite Instructions: Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately.

UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions: Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. Specimens must be received within 24 hours.

Rejection Criteria

  • Adult patients: specimen not received in grey top tubes.
  • Sample collected in sterile container should be transported to laboratory within 2 hours.
  • Frozen specimens will be rejected.
  • Specimen in incorrect specimen collection container will be rejected.

Reference Values

Analyte

Age

Sex

Reference Range

urine culture

 All

Male and female

No Growth

Critical Values

Urine culture isolated with critical pathogens.

Turnaround Time

Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory. 

 

STAT Turnaround Time: not avialable

 

Routine Turnaround Time: 1-3 days

 

Testing Schedule: 24/7

CPT Codes

87086

LOINC Codes

30687086

Volume

Preferred Volume: 3.5 mL

Minimum Volume: 3.5 mL

Pediatric Volume: less than 1 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room temperature

(20 - 25°C)

 24  hours 

Refrigerated

(2 - 10°C)

 48 hours.

Frozen

(-20°C)

not acceptable

Collection Instructions

Specimen Source: Clean voided, clean catch. Early morning specimen is best.

Specimen Collection:

Female Cleansing Instructions: Stand in a squatting position over the toilet. Separate the folds of the skin around the urinary opening. Cleanse the area around the opening with the first castile soap towelette. Repeat using a second clean towelette. Urinate the first portion of urine into the toilet. As you continue to urinate, bring the collection cup into the midstream to collect the urine sample. Do not touch the inside or lip of the cup. Urinate the remainder
of urine into the toilet. Place the blue cap onto the BD Vacutainer Urine Collection Cup. Return the sample to the healthcare worker.
Male Cleansing Instructions: Cleanse the end of the penis with the first castile soap towelette beginning at
the urethral opening and working away from it (the foreskin of an uncircumsized male must be retracted). Repeat using a second clean towelette. Urinate the first portion of urine into the toilet. As you continue to urinate, bring the collection cup into the midstream to collect the sample. Do not touch the inside or lip of the cup. Urinate the remainder of urine into the toilet. Place the blue cap onto the BD Vacutainer Urine Collection Cup. Return the sample to the healthcare worker.

Specimen Transfer: Peel back the paper on the lid of the blue cap container. Invert the grey top tube and push it onto the needle in the opening on the blue cap. Once it is filled, remove and invert several times to mix with the preservative. Invert the yellow top tube and push it onto the needle in the opening on the blue cap. Remove. Label both tubes. Discard blue cap in a sharps container. If volume is <3.5 mL, a sterile, wide-mouthed container, tightly sealed is acceptable.

Specimen Transport: For sterile containers — Must be received in Microbiology laboratory for plating within 2 hrs of collection unless refrigerated. For Grey top tube — must be plated by Microbiology laboratory within 48 hrs with or without refrigeration.

Specimen Source: Foley catheterized, Texas catheterized
Specimen Collection: Disinfect tubing with alcohol, aspirate urine through tubing with BD vacutainer Luer-Lok Access device. Do not obtain specimen from bag.
Specimen Transport: For sterile containers — Must be received in Microbiology laboratory for plating within 2 hrs of collection unless refrigerated. For Grey top tube — must be plated by Microbiology laboratory within 48 hrs
with or without refrigeration.

Specimen Source: Straight catheterized, Bladder Urine (suprapubic aspiration or cytoscopic), Indiana Pouch, Ileo Conduit or Stent, Neobladder, Nephrostomy Tube, Suprapubic Tube
Specimen Collection: Collected by physician or nurse.
Specimen Transport: For sterile containers (for volume not sufficient specimens) — Must be received
in Microbiology laboratory for plating within 2 hrs of collection unless refrigerated. For Grey top tube — must be plated
by Microbiology laboratory within 48 hrs with or without refrigeration.

Test Components

Urine culture results

Clinical Indications

  • Screening test for various urinary tract  infections
  • Useful in the diagnosis of disease.
  • Diagnose of UTI.

Methodology

Conventional culture media.

Synonyms/Search Keywords

Urinalysis with Reflex to culture

Last Reviewed Date

03/01/2022

Additional Information

Specimen Volume and Container:

  • Neonates ( < 30 days old or weighing <5kg): less than 1 ml volume .

  • > Neonates to < 2 yrs: less than 1 ml volume 
  • Adult ; grey top tube should be collected to the mark point.