Effect of External Environments on Urinalysis and Bacteriologic Culture / 대한비뇨기과학회지

ABSTRACT

The diagnosis of urinary tract infection is established by clinical symptoms and signs, urinalysis and urine culture. Urinalysis and urine culture are influenced by external environmental factors, especially temperature and time. So we have performed an assay for these effects on urinalysis and urine culture in 30 consecutive patients with urinary tract infection. Urinary specific gravity, pH and chemical components (protein, sugar, bilirubin, ketone and nitrite) were not influenced with environmental factors (temperature and time), but cellular components (RBC, WBC) were gradually decreased in number with increasing time in all temperatures without significance(p>0.06). Urine colony counts were not influenced significantly at 4 degrees C, but were increased in 4 hours at 18 degrees C and in 2 hours at 30 degrees C significantly (p<0.05). So, bacteriologic survey for urinary tract infection must be performed at least within 2 hours after collection of urine.