Clinical meaning
Urine culture is the gold standard for diagnosing urinary tract infections, identifying the causative organism, and determining antibiotic susceptibility. However, the clinical decision-making around when to obtain cultures, how to interpret results, and when NOT to treat positive cultures is a critical NP competency that directly impacts antibiotic stewardship. Specimen collection method significantly affects interpretation thresholds. Clean-catch midstream urine requires proper technique: cleanse the periurethral area, initiate voiding to flush urethral flora, then collect the midstream portion in a sterile container. Contamination is indicated by >5 squamous epithelial cells per high-power field on microscopy, mixed flora (≥3 organisms), or low colony counts with multiple organisms. Catheterized specimens (straight catheterization or from newly placed indwelling catheter) are more reliable because they bypass urethral and perineal contamination — lower colony count thresholds apply. CFU (colony-forming unit) interpretation thresholds vary by specimen type and clinical context. For clean-catch specimens: ≥100,000 CFU/mL (10^5) of a single uropathogen is the traditional threshold for significant bacteriuria in women with symptoms; ≥10,000 CFU/mL (10^4) is significant in symptomatic men (lower threshold due to lower contamination risk). For...