Urine Culture, Routine Test
A routine urine culture measures bacterial growth in a urine sample. It is a quantitative test that clinicians use to help estimate whether bacteriuria is present and to help tell infection apart from contamination picked up during collection.
About this test
This test looks at bacterial colony counts in a clean-catch, midstream urine specimen. The lab cultures the sample and counts colonies to estimate bacteriuria, which is one predictor clinicians consider when evaluating a possible urinary tract infection.
Quest notes that even when this calibrated culturing method is performed correctly, the resulting colony counts are approximations rather than exact measurements. That is part of why a result is read by a clinician together with symptoms and other findings, not as a stand-alone number.
Who might consider this test?
- Urinary tract infections are among the most common infections people experience, and they can involve the urethra, bladder, kidneys or nearby tissue.
Test details
| Collection | Quest patient service center |
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Quest resources
Additional details
What this test looks at
The test reports bacterial colony counts from a clean-catch, midstream urine collection. If the culture comes back positive, Quest lists a reflex step that identifies each bacterial isolate, which is how a positive culture can be followed up in more detail rather than left as a single result.
This test isn't part of the Celio Health store at the moment, so it can't be ordered or requested here. The test menu lists everything that can.
Laboratory results should always be interpreted by a licensed clinician who knows your health history. This page is information about a test, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
What does a routine urine culture measure?
It measures bacterial growth, reported as colony counts, in a urine specimen. The count is used to estimate bacteriuria, which is one predictor of urinary tract infection, and to help distinguish true infection from contamination picked up during collection.
How is the sample collected?
The specimen is a clean-catch, midstream urine collection, meaning the person collects a sample partway through urinating after cleaning, to reduce contamination from normal flora.
Do I need to prepare for this test?
No preparation instructions are listed for this test, though people follow any instructions their ordering clinician provides.
What happens if the culture is positive?
Quest's listing includes a reflex step: if the culture is positive, each bacterial isolate identified in the sample is reported separately.
Is a urine culture result exact?
No. Quest notes that even with correct technique, the colony counts a culture produces are approximations, not exact measurements, which is one reason a clinician reads the result in context rather than as a single definitive number.