The Urology Center Glossary terms

Culture (of the urine):

A urine culture is performed by transferring a small portion of a urine specimen onto a culture medium in an attempt to grow bacteria from the urine. If bacteria are grown, a urinary tract infection may be confirmed. Finalization of a urine culture takes 1-3 days.

To diagnose a urinary tract infection with certainty, a culture must be performed. A urine culture differs from a simple urine analysis. The term urine analysis means that the urine has been chemically analyzed and, in many cases, microscopically analyzed for substances such as red blood cells, white blood cells, glucose and microscopically visible bacteria. A quick urine analysis serves to guide the physician to a provisional or temporary diagnosis. However, confirmation of the diagnosis awaits the final results of a urine culture 1-3 days later. It is important for patients to call or follow-up with their doctors concerning urine cultures results, 1-3 days after the cultures are performed.

After bacteria are grown on culture, the bacteria are usually tested for sensitivity to specific antibiotics in an attempt to identify the specific antibiotic which works best to kill a particular bacteria. For this reason, it is sometimes necessary to change antibiotics in the middle of a course of treatment, in the interest of providing the best antibiotic for the particular bacteria causing the infection.

(See related glossary terms: "urine analysis", "inflammation", "bladder infection", "infection", "urinary tract infection", "cystitis", "kidney infection", "reflux", "vaginitis").