Tests for urinary tract infection
Medically Reviewed by Dr Sravya, MBBS, MS
Introduction
As we all know, Urinary tract infections are one of the most prevalent bacterial infections around the world, and they account for over 6 million doctor visits in the United States every year. It affects more than 150 million people around the world every year. UTIs are difficult to treat, not only because it is the second most common infection but also because they are not always easy to diagnose.
Some UTIs are symptomatic (no symptoms) or have signs and symptoms, which makes it difficult for physicians to diagnose UTIs because there are other diseases that have similar symptoms that may look like UTI symptoms. Due to these reasons, doctors opt for laboratory tests to find the underlying cause of the infection, even though the diagnosis is clear. So now, let’s have a quick introduction about how UTIs are being diagnosed and different types of urinary tract infection tests.
How are UTIs diagnosed?
The first thing a doctor does when you show the symptoms of UTI is to perform a urine test to identify the bacteria and other components in the urine.
A urine test is one of the most common laboratory tests used to diagnose UTI, but it is not always recommended in all cases.
A blood test is also performed to check for an infection in your bloodstream.
You can also perform an at-home UTI test by yourself, which is called a dipstick test.
Let us go through everything in detail in the following sections.
Types of tests to diagnose UTI
The following are the diagnostic tests for UTI:-
Urine routine test/urinalysis:
The urine routine test, also called urinalysis or urine test for UTI, is a combination of tests that are performed in a lab on urine. It is one of the most commonly conducted tests to detect the presence of bilirubin, sugars, proteins, ketones, RBCs, etc.
A routine urine examination is used to diagnose kidney liver diseases and urinary tract infections. The test is analyzed in three ways. They are:
1. Physical examination– Examines the odor, color, and appearance of the urine
with the naked eye. If there is any trace of blood in urine, it turns reddish or
brown. Cloudy urine indicates a UTI.
2. Chemical examination– Examines:
- pH of urine and abnormal range indicate kidney stones, CKD, and urinary infections.
- Sugar indicates diabetes
- Pus cells indicate an infection
- Bilirubin indicates liver disease
- Protein indicates damage to kidney’s filtering unit
- Nitrites or leukocyte esterase indicate UTI
- Creatinine gives the concentration of urine.
3. Microscopic examination–Examines urine sample under a microscope which identifies for:
- RBCs indicate kidney diseases
- WBCs indicate an inflammation or infection of kidneys or other areas.
- Any presence of bacteria indicates an infection in your body
- Any presence of crystals may indicate kidney stones
The urine sample can be collected in two different ways. They are– 24-hour urine collection and a clean catch technique.
In a 24-hour urine sample collection procedure, the urine is collected in a special container for a 24-hour period. The container must be kept in a cool place during the collection process.
A clean catch is a technique used to collect the urine sample without any bacteria obtained from the skin of the penis or the vagina.
- So firstly, you need to wash your hands with soapy water and dry them with the help of a paper towel.
- Use the castile soap wipes given by the nurse to clean your labia (skin around your urinary opening and vagina) from front to back.
- After throwing the wipes in the bin, spread your labia and stand over the commode or toilet.
- Then, pass the urine into the toilet. Do not collect the first pass of the urine in the urine cup.
- Now, without stopping the urine stream, collect it in the urine cup until it’s half full, and then you can urinate into the toilet.
- Tightly screw the and do not touch the inside of the cup. Wash your hands and give it to the nurse or the staff member.
With this technique, you can prevent contamination and obtain accurate results formurine infection tests.
- Urine culture: This test will be able to detect the infection caused by some specific bacteria and yeasts that cause UTI.
- Cystoscopy: It is also called cystourethroscopy, a procedure in which a scope (a flexible tube and viewing device) is inserted through your urethra to examine for any abnormalities or obstructions, such as tumors or stones.Other imaging tests for urinary tract infections, such as ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI scan, are recommended if you have had UTIs more than three times in the last 12 months.
- Intravenous pyelogram (IVP): Content Editor: Richa In this procedure, a dye is injected into your body that passes through your urinary tract. Later, an x-ray of your abdomen is taken. The dye that is injected highlights your urinary tract, which makes it more visible on the x-ray.
- Viral Urinary tract infection test: If your doctor suspects that your UTI is viral, they may have to perform a special test. UTIs caused by viruses are quite rare. It can be seen in people who’ve had organ transplants or have other medical conditions resulting in a weak immune system.
- Upper tract Urinary tract infection test: To test an upper tract UTI, a complete blood picture test, blood cultures, and urine culture tests may be required. A blood culture is used to confirm whether UTI infection has spread to the bloodstream or not.
- At-home UTI test: As I mentioned earlier, you can perform an at-home UTI test by yourself, and it can be done by a dipstick test, which is available as an over-the-counter UTI test strip or UTI test kit and is also available online. This Urinary tract infection test is used to check for leukocyte levels (white blood cells) and nitrites (E.coli bacteria) which are the most common signs of UTI.
But how do they work?
So, basically, a dipstick test works much like a pregnancy test. Each kit consists of a testing strip. Now, you are going to soak or wet the strip by immersing it in your urine stream for a while. Wait for 1- 2 minutes, and you can see the color of the test strip changing gradually. Now, compare the color of your strip with the chart on the home test kit to see if you’ve tested positive for a UTI.
At-home UTI test kits are useful if your UTIs are coming back again and again. It helps you to check for the white blood cells and the bacteria present in your urine, but the results may vary if you are on any medications.
Is the accuracy of over-the-counter UTI test strips reliable?
Over-the-counter UTI test strips are not the most reliable diagnostic test for UTI, but this type of test is often used by those with recurrent (appearing again) infections. Remember that if you’ve tested negative for a dipstick test but you have a history of UTI, then you cannot rule out the disease.
According to some researchers, an at-home UTI test is helpful to some as a first-time screener before getting tested by a doctor. Talk to the doctor if your results are negative but symptoms persist (still present) and these types of tests cannot detect some infections, so be cautious and contact your physician for medical attention
Urinary tract infection test in pregnant women
Thanks to the pregnancy hormones, women are at risk of developing Urinary tract infections. It is advised that all pregnant women should be examined for UTIs between 12 and 16 weeks pregnant.
Pregnant women should be checked for asymptomatic bacteriuria (it doesn’t show any signs & symptoms of UTI, but the bacteria will be observed in the collected urine sample). Asymptomatic bacteriuria is kind of common, and its prevalence will increase with age.
Urinary tract infection test in children
According to the guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Paediatrics, a child requires both urinalysis and urine culture for diagnosing UTI. The suprapubic aspirate is widely used to diagnose UTI in children. The suprapubic aspirate is the process of inserting a needle into the bladder.
It is often recommended that girls should sit backward on the toilet to prevent contamination of the urine sample.
When should I contact a doctor?
Urinary tract infection, being the most common bacterial infection in the world, is a known fact, and if left undiagnosed and untreated, it may lead to kidney diseases & amp; other complications. So, if you experience UTI symptoms like the urge to pee, frequent need to pee, cloudy urine, and severe pain in the lower abdomen, consult your doctor and get treated right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Talk to your doctor if you experience a burning sensation while urinating, the urge to pee, urine color appears to be cloudy, cola-colored, or reddish, and pain in the lower abdomen.
Antibiotics are the best medications for treating UTIs since antibiotics can get rid of the infection quickly and help prevent other infections.
Drink plenty of fluids, maintain personal hygiene, and increase your vitamin-C intake, i.e., take foods rich in vitamin C, take high-fiber foods, etc. This will help you to prevent UTI and reduce the symptoms.