An accurate analysis of the bacteria count in urine is extremely important for the diagnosis of urinary tract infections. However, rapid bacterial growth can lead to false positive results and should be prevented beforehand by effective stabilisation.
Although the presence of bacteria in urine is often a symptom of a urinary tract infection, it is necessary to accurately determine the bacterial count to allow for a conclusive diagnosis to be reached. The VACUETTE® Urine CCM tube from Greiner Bio-One stabilises the bacterial count in urine to allow for microbiological tests to be performed.
The symptoms of a urinary tract infection range from the need to urinate often, pain when urinating, and abdominal pain, to fever, shivering, pain in the side in complex cases. This type of infection is more common in women than men due to the fact that the urethra is shorter.
The medical threshold for diagnosing a urinary tract infection is ≥105 colony-forming units/ml (CFU/ml)(1). If urine in a sample container is not sufficiently stabilised, then the bacteria will multiply. If this unstable urine sample is subsequently analysed, a urinary tract infection may be diagnosed incorrectly as a result of the previously unimpeded bacterial growth. This could lead to a patient taking antibiotics unnecessarily.
One of the main advantages of the VACUETTE® Urine CCM tube is the high solubility of the powder stabiliser. By simply inverting the tube a few times, the urine and additive can be thor-oughly mixed together in no time at all, guaranteeing efficient stabilisation of the urine sample.
The stabiliser in the vacuum tube also keeps the urine sample within a constant temperature range of 20°C -25°C for up to 48 hours. During this time, the sample can be transported or stored without the need for refrigeration.
The VACUETTE® Urine CCM tube is fitted with a safety cap, which is extremely easy to open, allowing for hygienic working conditions. There is also no risk of splashing, which may occur with standard rubber stoppers. In addition, the VACUETTE® Urine CCM tube is made from highly transparent Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic and is shatterproof.
Which types of bacteria can be stabilised?
A large number of obligatory and optional pathogenic urogenital bacteria are stabilised in the VACUETTE® Urine CCM tube, which can be reliably detected for up to 48 hours. Urinary tract infections are most commonly caused by Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus spp. In addition to these two bacterial strains, internal studies have verified the stabilisation of Salmonella enteritidis, Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis.
urthermore, even sensitive microorganisms, such as Streptococcus spp., are stabilised sufficiently(1).
Literature:
1) Evaluation of the feasibility of the VACUETTE® Urine CCM tube for microbial testing of urine samples. Internal study by GBO