In the treatment of chronic and complex inflammation of the urinary system, one of the most important tests is urine culture. It helps to properly prescribe therapy and control.
This analysis has the disadvantage of a long lead time. Usually it takes from 7 to 10 days. Therefore, it is rarely used in the diagnosis and treatment of acute inflammatory processes. Basically, in order to verify the effectiveness of the prescribed therapy and, if necessary, supplement it.
The fact is that if there is an acute process, then there is no time to wait for the result of the analysis. In this case, a urine culture tank is done before antibiotic treatment begins.
Another drawback of this study is the high requirements for urine collection. It should be collected in a sterile container, which is taken in the laboratory or purchased at the pharmacy. Before sampling the analysis, it is necessary to conduct the genitals toilet with boiled water using laundry soap. Then they should be wiped with a washed and ironed towel.
In a jar, you need to collect an average portion of 10 ml of morning urine obtained after waking up. The sterile container should never be opened in advance and touched its edges. And after collecting the analysis immediately close.
Women need to part the labia minora during the analysis. The resulting material must be delivered to the laboratory within an hour.
Such measures are taken so that bacteria from the genitals, sweat and sebaceous glands do not get into the analysis. Since this will significantly affect the result, incorrect or unnecessary treatment may be prescribed.
Sowing urine on flora and sensitivity to antibiotics consists in the fact that bacterial cultures are isolated on a nutrient medium in a laboratory environment and their properties are investigated. This is a very time-consuming analysis, however, other studies cannot provide information obtained using it.
Urine in a nutrient medium is grown daily in an incubator. Then, a colony of the obtained bacteria is sown on Petri dishes. It is grown for another day. Then the obtained bacteria colonies are separated and grown again in an incubator.
Further, according to their properties and appearance, they are identified. Then determine the sensitivity to antibiotics for another day. The data obtained are summarized in a table, which is the result of the analysis.
Urine culture provides information about all the bacteria that were in it, as well as their quantity and sensitivity to drugs. It helps to prescribe effective therapy in the most difficult cases.
Other biological fluids, excretions, scrapings can also be sent for sowing. It helps to assess the condition of the microflora of the body, including the vagina and intestines.
Normally, urine in the bladder is sterile. However, when passing along the lower third of the urethra, normal microflora gets into it: streptococci, diphteroids, coagulase-negative staphylococci.
Urine culture should be given either before treatment, or a week after the end of the course of uroseptics and antibiotics. Otherwise, the result will be unreliable.
When performing this analysis, the following pathogens can be isolated: yeast-like fungi, staphylococci, enterococci, streptococci, enterobacteria, gram-negative microorganisms. However, their concentration is important, which is measured in CFU (colony forming units) in ml volume.
It is believed that pathology can cause a pathogen with a titer of more than 10 to 4 degrees. If the concentration is less, then this is the norm. However, if the analysis is a control after treatment, then a lower titer may also be relevant.
Thus, urine culture is an indispensable analysis in the treatment of inflammation of the kidneys, bladder, urethra, especially chronic. Its disadvantages are the duration of the execution and high requirements for the collection of the studied material.