UTI Specimen Collection

Urine Specimen Collection for UTI

Labelling, Storage, Preservation, Transportation, Processing and Referral:

Sensitive molecular assays must utilize efficient, controlled, and robust specimen collection and diagnostic testing to evaluate multiple potential bacterial etiologies. The methods described below are based on the current United States National Library of medicine. (https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007487.htm)

General Guidelines:

The clean-catch method is used to prevent microbes from getting into a urine sample. If possible, collect the sample when urine has been in the bladder for 2-3 hours. A special cup (which includes a lid and wipes) is used to collect the urine.

Urine container types.  Use only sterile urine containers and urine vacutainer tube containing a preservative (Vacuette urine tube CCM). The vacuette urine tube CCM with preservative stabilizes the bacterial count and parameters for up to 48 hours at room temperature. The urine specimen thus does not require refrigeration. These vacutainer urine tubes are thus suitable for extended processing and transport times, and for microbiological diagnosis.

Midstream Clean Catch Specimen:

Collection from female patients:

• Wash hands with warm water and soap. Thoroughly rinse and dry.
• Sit on the toilet with legs spread apart and use two fingers to spread open the vaginal lips (labia).
• Use the first wipe you were provided to clean the inner folds of the labia. Wipe only from front to back.
• Use the second wipe to clean over the opening where urine comes out (urethra), just above the opening of the vagina.
• Keeping the labia spread open, urinate a small amount into the toilet, then stop the flow of urine.
• Hold the urine cup a few inches (or a few centimeters) from the urethra and urinate until the cup is about half full. Avoid urine stream from touching any skin.
• You may finish urinating in the toilet bowl.

Collection from male patients:

• Wash hands with warm water and soap. Thoroughly rinse and dry.
• Using the wipe, you were provided, clean the head of the penis.
• If you are not circumcised, pull back (retract) the foreskin with one hand to clean the head of the penis. Keep the foreskin pulled back during urination.
• Urinate a small amount into the toilet, then stop the flow of urine.
• Hold the urine container with the other hand a few inches (or a few centimeters) from the head of the penis and urinate until the cup is about half full.
• Avoid the urine stream from touching any skin.
• You may finish urinating in the toilet bowl.

General Specimen Handling:

Collect urine samples immediately into a sterile container (Urine beaker with integrated transfer device – Greiner Bio-one GmbH-Ref-724310). Use the urine vacutainer tube containing preservative (Greiner Bio-one GmbH-Ref-454486) to transfer approximately 4 ml of urine from collection container as described by manufacturer. Label the container with patient’s first and last name, date of birth and date and time sample was collected, additional information could be affixed to the tube label to include date and time sample was received in the laboratory and description of sample.

Storage Conditions:

If specimen will be processed (nuclear extraction) for analysis within 72 hours after collection at the laboratory, keep it at room temperature 15 to 25°C (60 to 77°F) or refrigerate at 2-8ºC. Avoid freezing specimens. Specimens that are frozen and then thawed release nucleases capable of cleaving the phosphodiester bonds of nucleic acids and may result in false negative test results. Refrigerated specimens will reach and maintain ambient temperature during preparation of the sample for analysis.

The VACUETTE Urine CCM tubes with additive used in this protocol stabilize the bacterial count and parameters for up to 72 hours at room temperature. The urine specimen thus does not require refrigeration. These vacutainer urine tubes are suitable for extended processing and transport times, and for microbiological diagnosis, however, samples will be rejected if specimen exceeds the 72-hour limit.

Pre-processed stability studies were performed to demonstrate efficacy which exceeds the prescribed manufacturer’s recommended sample stability duration(s). Once the specimen has been processed, the extracted nucleic material may be stored refrigerated at 2ºC to 8ºC in a non-frost-free refrigerator or on wet ice. If the analytical system fails, processed patient samples will be stored at 2ºC to 8ºC in a non-frost-free refrigerator or wet ice until analytical systems are operational. Extracted nucleic acids may be stored and used for up to 96 hours when stored at 2ºC to 8ºC.