Urine Culture and Sensitivity with Gram (Anaerobic)

Collect suprapubic aspiration/bladder tap urine using a needle aspiration technique. Cap syringe with a Luer-lock.

Collect midstream or catheterized urine in sterile cup. Immediately transfer urine to a gray top boric acid transport tube. Tubes have a 4 mL draw volume. A minimum fill line of 3 mL is indicated on the label. If specimen volume is <3mL, do not transfer urine to sample to a gray top tube.

Transport specimens to the lab immediately if anaerobes or fastidious organisms are suspected.

Urine should be transferred to a gray top boric acid transport tube unless <3 mL.

Storage, Transport, and Stability

Gray top boric acid transport tube: Room Temperature: 48 h, Refrigerated: 48 h, Frozen: Unacceptable

Unpreserved (sterile cup or capped syringe): Room Temperature:2 h, Refrigerated:24 h, Frozen: Unacceptable

Note with UA: To expedite processing when urinalysis (UA) is also ordered, send separate specimen cup for UA.

Unacceptable: Leaking containers, unpreserved specimens >2 h at room temperature or > 24 h refrigerated, preserved specimens >48 h, frozen urine, preserved specimens with volume < minimum fill line (3 mL), urine collected from a Foley catheter bag, 24-hour or pooled specimens, Foley catheter tips.