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Test Code URC Urine Culture

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 URC).

 If your patient is pregnant, a culture can be ordered without urinalysis. Test code URCP

Infectious

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: 

  • Non-sterile urine, includes:
    • Midstream
    • Indwelling catheter (Foley)
    • Suprapubic catheter
    • Ileal conduit
  • Sterile urine, includes:
    • Cystoscopic urine
    • Perinephric
    • Kidney aspirate
    • Suprapubic aspirate
    • Preoperative urology specimens

Preferred Specimen: Urine grey-top tube

Other Acceptable specimens: Sterile, sealable, screw-cap container

Volume

Minimum Volume: 3-5 mL (adult)

Pediatric Volume: Less than 1 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room temperature

(20 - 25°C)

Grey-top tube: 24 hours

Sterile container: 2 hours

Refrigerated

(2 - 10°C)

 24 hours

Frozen

(-20°C)

not acceptable

Collection Instructions

Specimen Collection: 

 

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

 

Foley catheterized, Texas catheterized: Disinfect tubing with alcohol, aspirate urine through tubing with BD vacutainer Luer-Lok Access device. Do not obtain specimen from bag.

 

Straight catheterized, Bladder Urine (suprapubic aspiration or cytoscopic), Indiana Pouch, Ileo Conduit or Stent, Neobladder, Nephrostomy Tube, Suprapubic Tube: Collected by physician or nurse.

 


Specimen Transport: Immediate

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.

Rejection Criteria

  • Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, incorrect collection container, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits. 
  • Frozen specimens will be rejected.
  • Specimens from adult patients not collected in grey-top tubes will be rejected.
  • 24-hour urine collections will be rejected.
  • Foley catheter tips cannot be accepted for culture.

Reference Values

 

Test

Age

Sex

Reference Range

Culture

All

All

No Growth/Normal Flora

Turnaround Time

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

STAT Turnaround Time: not available

Routine Turnaround Time: 2 days

Testing Schedule: Monday - Sunday

Clinical Indications

  • Aid in the diagnosis or screening of urinary tract infections.

Methodology

Conventional culture on media

CPT Codes

87086

LOINC Codes

30687086

Synonyms/Keyword Search

URCX, UCX, URINE C&S, CX, URC, BACTERIAL CULTURE, CULTURE

Last Review Date

04/10/2026