Know What Urine Culture Is

Urine culture is method examination to detect the presence of bacteria in the urine , as a sign of urinary tract infections. Besides detecting the presence of bacteria, urine culture can also be used to determine the type of bacteria that causes infection.

Bacteria can enter the urinary tract through the urethra, both men and women. The bacteria that enter the urinary tract can grow and develop rapidly. Urinary tract infections that are not properly treated can be dangerous and cause complications, ranging from the spread of infection to other body parts, to permanent kidney failure.

Urine Culture Indications

A person can be advised to undergo a urine culture check if he has a complaint of a urinary tract infection. These complaints are:

• Pain and burning sensation during urination
• Lower back pain
• Urine is cloudy and smells sharp
• Frequently wants to urinate and cannot be detained
• There is a feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen
• There is blood in the urine.

If there is a channel infection the urine that occurs is severe enough or has spread to the kidneys, the following symptoms can appear:

• High fever
• Shivering
• Trembling
• Nausea or vomiting.

In addition to people with urinary tract infections, urine culture is also recommended for pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy or on the first (prenatal) pregnancy visit. The aim is to detect the presence of bacteria in the urinary tract that can affect the health and development of the fetus.

Not all urinary tract infections need to undergo urine culture checks, but are given drugs only by looking at the symptoms and results of urine tests. This is often done on young women who have lower urinary tract infections but do not cause any complications.

Urine Culture Preparation

Before urine culture is done , patients need to tell their doctor about the medicines they are taking, including vitamins and supplements. The drug content and vitamins in urine can affect the results, making it inaccurate. Approaching the time for sampling, it is recommended to hold urination until the time of sampling. In addition, patients also should not drink for 15-20 minutes before the sample is taken.

Urine Culture Sampling Procedure

The urine sampling procedure is quite simple. The patient is first required to wash his hands and clean his genitals, in order to avoid bacterial contamination from the outside. Male patients need to clean the head of their penis, while female patients must clean their vagina from front to back.

When urinating, the patient does not directly hold urine in the container, but throw about half the urine first that comes out first. After that, the patient can hold the remaining urine in the body in the sample container until it reaches the required amount. Then clean the genitals after completing the sampling, then wash hands.

Taking urine samples can also be done through a catheter, which is a thin tube inserted through the patient's urethra. The medical officer will take fresh urine from the patient and not take it from the urine shelter. In certain cases, urine can be taken through a fine needle aspiration method. Needle urine aspiration is done if the patient is unable to excrete urine through the catheter or if the sample obtained from the previous sampling method is always contaminated.

Urine that has been collected is then sent to the laboratory to test for the presence of bacteria causing the infection.

Procedures and Interpretation of Urine Culture Test Results

Urine samples from patients will be taken to the laboratory for analysis. Urine samples will be cultured in a special medium in the form of agar, then stored in a special storage room that has temperatures such as body temperature. If there is bacteria in the urine, it will grow in a few days. Keep in mind that on the skin surface of the penis and vagina, there are normal microorganisms that may be carried in the sample.

From the results of the number of bacterial colonies that grow, and the symptoms that are raised, the doctor will assess whether the patient has a urinary tract infection, and need or no treatment. If you feel the results are dubious, your doctor can recommend repeating a urine culture examination.

Various types of bacteria can cause urinary tract infections. However, the type of bacteria that most often causes this infection is Escherichia coli , which is normally found in the digestive tract. Other bacteria that can cause urinary tract infections are:

• Proteus sp
• Enterococcus sp
• Klebsiella sp
• Staphylococcus sp
• Candida sp.

If you know the type of bacteria that grows, you will be tested for resistance or vulnerability through the same sample. Antibiotic resistance tests are conducted to determine which antibiotics are effective in treating these bacterial infections.

After Urine Culture Tests

Patients with urinary tract infections can be treated with antibiotics depending on the type of bacteria that causes infection, medical history, and recurrence rate of infection.

Treatment of urinary tract infections can be supported by daily activities carried out by patients. More diligently drinking water can help treat urinary tract infections, because bacteria will be routinely wasted through urine.

Complications Urine Culture

Taking urine culture samples is a safe, even painless procedure, unless sampling is done through a catheter or needle aspiration. If there is pain that is felt during sampling, it is a result of a urinary tract infection that is being suffered.

If a urine sample is taken through a catheter, the patient may feel uncomfortable when the catheter hose is inserted through the urethra. To reduce pain, the catheter will be coated with lubricant first to reduce discomfort, and facilitate the procedure.

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