Specimen notes
Urine microscopy and culture should be justified by clinical particulars.
Early morning midstream urines are preferred. Allowing urine to remain in bladder overnight or at least 4 hours will decrease false negative results.
Record time of collection accurately and ensure immediate dispatch as unrefrigerated specimens more than 2 hours old are unsuitable. Urine specimens that have been at room temperature for longer than 2 hours risk being overgrown with contaminating bacteria, as well as potential pathogens. Do not freeze specimen.
Minimum volume of urine required for testing >3mLs.
Midstream urines
Thoroughly prepare patient to avoid contamination.
Click here to view patient collection instructions .
Catheter urines
Refer "Catheterisation Policy" in Ward Nursing Manual.
Paediatric patients
0 - 1 year: Suprapubic aspiration (bladder stab) is the preferred specimen for culture. Paediatric bag urines are unreliable and extreme care is needed with the interpretation of results.
Over 1 year: Midstream specimens are satisfactory for culture.
Rejection criteria
- Leaking specimens
- Unlabelled specimens
- 24 hour urine collection
- Urine from bedpans
-
Foley catheter tips
Urgent microscopy result available within 1 hour.
An interim or final culture report issued within 36 hours.
Mycology: an interim report is issued on any positive culture. Negative reports are issued after 7 days.
Trial urines
Turn around time for trial urines defined from time of receipt in Microbiology.
Dipstick/Microscopy within 2-4 hrs of receipt.
Culture within 36-48 hours
Microscopy method is the SIEMENS Atellica UAS800
Urines with a white cell count of <50x10(6)L by microscopy will no longer have a culture performed. This is indicated by a comment on the report.
The only exceptions will be if the specimen falls under one of the following culture exemption categories below.
Exempt Wards that always require culture
Motutapu
Day Stay Haematology (DSH)
27B
PICU
NICU
DCCM 82 / HDU
Cardiothoracic ICU
Exempt Specimen types that always require culture
Nephrostomy
Bladder stab / Supra-Pubic Aspirate
CED In-Out Catheter
Renal Transplant
Fastidious Organism Requests
Sterile Pyuria
Other exceptions
Has been discussed with Microbiologist/Microbiology registrar. Please include details on the request form.
For further information, contact the Microbiology Department via Lablink or the Clinical Microbiologist:
Dr Sally Roberts
, Microbiologist:
ext 22705
Cellphone
021 674 140
Dr Sharmini Muttaiyah
, Microbiologist:
ext 22700
Cellphone
021 615 892
Dr Mary de Almeida
, Microbiologist:
ext 22700
Cellphone
021 170 9117
Reference ranges for urinalysis
Click here to view reference ranges for urine microscopy and dipstick.