Study case- Collection and preservation of urine

Question 1

A young female patient is havi ng d ifficu lty followi ng
the clean-catch procedu re for urine col lection. There a re contaminati ng bacteria present in the specimen which a re making it d ifficult to d iag nose urinary tract i nfection . Suggest how a speci men suitable for culture can be collected .

Answer 1

The specimen for this young female may have to be obtained by catheterization.

Question 2

A day-old urine is received in the laboratory that has not been tra nsferred to a urine preservative tube. Com ment about
the suitabil ity of this specimen for routi ne urine screening tests

Answer 2

The specimen may have falsely decreased levels of glucose, ketones, bilirubin, urobilinogen, and cellular sediment. Falsely elevated pH, nitrite, and bacteria may be present. Other changes may include a change in urine color, clarity, and formation of crystals

Question 3

A urine specimen that was col lected by clean-catch into a steri le urine cup is received in the laboratory. H ow should it be transferred i nto appropriate urine tubes for urine culture and molecular testi ng for sexually transmitted disease?

Answer 3

When transferring specimens from primary
container to aliquot tubes you should wear
appropriate PPEs, label the aliquot with the same patient identifiers as the primary container, and transfer specimens using sterile technique.