General information, not an individual diagnosis. Ask a healthcare professional if you are unsure about your situation.
If a urine cytology and culture test, known as an ECBU in France, is prescribed, ask the laboratory for collection instructions and the sterile container to use. This test studies cells and looks for bacteria in urine. Germs introduced during collection can make the result unreliable: preparing the collection is part of the test.
Before collection, tell your doctor and the laboratory about any recent or current antibiotic treatment. It can prevent bacteria from growing in culture. Clarify collection timing with these professionals without stopping treatment yourself. If the doctor needs to start care before the antibiotic-susceptibility results, arranging the test must not delay that care.
Follow the hygiene instructions for your collection. French Health Insurance says to wash your hands thoroughly and then clean the genital area carefully. Ask the laboratory to clarify the appropriate steps: bacteria on the skin or mucous membranes can contaminate the sample.
For a midstream sample requested by the laboratory, pass the first part of the urine into the toilet, then collect the following urine directly in the sterile container. Avoid touching the inside of the container or lid and the container’s upper rim during collection. Close the container and wash your hands.
Label the container with your surname and first name, the collection date and time, following the laboratory’s instructions. Also note the method used, the reason for the prescription and recent or current antibiotics. Tell the professional about pregnancy or relevant illnesses: this information helps them interpret the sample.
Take the sample to the laboratory as quickly as possible with the prescription. For the collection described, French Health Insurance specifies no more than two hours at room temperature; if immediate delivery is impossible, it provides for storage in a refrigerator at 4 °C for no more than twenty-four hours. Confirm your laboratory’s reception requirements.
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