1. The surgery called to say they need another fresh urine sample because the first sample was contaminated. What happened?
If the skin and genital area were not cleaned well prior to collecting the sample, the urine culture may grow a number of different types of bacteria and is assumed to be contaminated. The culture will be discarded because it cannot be determined if the bacteria originated inside or outside the urinary tract. A contaminated specimen can be avoided by following the directions to carefully clean yourself and by collecting a mid-stream sample.
2. My doctor said I had symptoms of a urinary tract infection and prescribed antibiotics without waiting for the results of the culture. Why?
The reason is because bacteria known as E. coli cause the majority of lower urinary tract infections. This organism is usually susceptible to a variety of antibiotics, such as trimethoprim or nitrofurantoin. Your doctor may start you on one of these antibiotics to relieve your symptoms while waiting for results from the culture.
