Level 1 of 3Results in 3 daysUrine culture and sensitivity
Sample: Urine
Burning when you pee, needing to go again five minutes later, a dull ache low in your belly or urine that looks cloudy or pinkish are the classic signs of a urinary infection, and this test tells you which bacteria are behind them. The lab grows what is in your sample, identifies it and counts it, and when something grows it runs an antibiogram, which shows which antibiotics work on that exact germ and which ones it has learned to resist. That second part is what makes the result so useful when infections keep coming back, or when a first round of antibiotics didn't clear things up.
€39.00
- 1. No fasting needed. Bring your confirmation and an ID.
- 2. Bring a urine sample or pee at the lab.
- 3. Bring the first urine of the morning.
These are general recommendations. Check the preparation for your tests with your doctor.
- Sample: Urine
- Results in3 days
- FastingNot required
- Urine culture with antibiogram: Grows the bacteria in your urine sample, identifies them and counts them. When something grows, the lab adds an antibiogram, which shows which antibiotics work on that germ and which ones it resists.
Urine culture and sensitivity test
If it burns when you pee, you need the toilet every few minutes and only a little comes out, or your urine looks cloudy, smells stronger than usual or has a pink tinge, the most likely explanation is a urinary tract infection. It is one of the most common infections there is, especially in women, and most of the time it is caused by bacteria that normally live in the gut and end up in the bladder. A urine culture is the test that confirms the infection, tells you which bacteria is causing it and, through the antibiogram, shows which antibiotics will work against it.
What a urine culture checks
The lab places a small amount of your urine on a growth medium and waits to see what grows. If bacteria grow, it identifies the species and counts how many there are, measured in colony-forming units per millilitre (CFU/mL). A high count of a single bacteria points to a real infection, while a low count or a mix of several types usually means the sample picked up bacteria from the skin on the way out.
When a bacteria grows, the lab runs an antibiogram, also called a sensitivity test. It exposes that bacteria to a set of antibiotics and records which ones stop it and which ones it resists. Most people only find out they needed this part after a treatment fails, and it is included in this test whenever your culture is positive.
Symptoms of a urinary tract infection
- Burning or stinging when you pee
- Needing to pee often and urgently, sometimes with very little coming out
- Pain or pressure low in your belly, just above the pubic bone
- Cloudy, strong-smelling or bloody urine
- Feeling that your bladder never quite empties
Women get urinary infections far more often than men, because the urethra is shorter and sits closer to the anus. In men a urinary infection is less common and worth checking properly, especially if it comes with pain between the legs or difficulty peeing, which can involve the prostate.
Burning when you pee is not always a urinary infection
Chlamydia and gonorrhoea can also cause burning when you pee, especially in men, and they don't grow in a standard urine culture. If you've had a new partner or sex without a condom, a PCR test for sexually transmitted infections answers that question, and you can give both samples on the same visit.
When to get medical care first
Go to a doctor or to urgencias the same day if you have a fever, chills, pain in your back or side, nausea or vomiting, or if you're pregnant. These can mean the infection has reached the kidneys, and treatment comes before any test you order yourself.
Who a urine culture is for
It is most useful when infections keep coming back, when a course of antibiotics didn't fully clear your symptoms, when you want the infection confirmed before starting treatment, or when your symptoms are mild and you'd like to know what's going on. If you get three or more infections a year, knowing the bacteria and which antibiotics it resists each time means the next treatment can be the right one from the start.
How to collect your urine sample
Give your sample before you start antibiotics, since even one dose can stop bacteria growing in the lab and give a false negative. The best sample is the first urine of the morning, because it has spent the longest time in your bladder. Wash your hands and genital area with water, start peeing into the toilet, collect the middle part of the stream in a sterile container without touching the inside, and finish in the toilet. If you're on your period, wait until it ends if you can, since blood can affect the result. The preparation shown with your order has the exact steps.
Getting a urine culture with Diagnostic Station
You buy your test online and take your sample to one of our partner labs in Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid or Málaga, with no GP referral needed. In Barcelona and Madrid you go during collection hours, and in Valencia and Málaga you go with an appointment. Your report shows the bacteria found, the count and, when something grew, the full antibiogram.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a urine culture take?
The bacteria need time to grow, so a culture takes longer than a standard urine test. The test page shows the expected time before you buy.
What does a negative urine culture mean?
It means no significant growth was found. If you still have symptoms, the cause may be something a culture doesn't detect, such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea or mycoplasma, an irritated bladder, or a sample given after antibiotics had already started.
What is E. coli in a urine culture?
Escherichia coli is the bacteria behind most urinary infections. It lives in the gut without causing trouble and becomes a problem when it reaches the bladder. Resistance varies from strain to strain, which is why your antibiogram shows how your own E. coli responds to each antibiotic.
Can I get a urine culture without a prescription in Spain?
Yes. With Diagnostic Station you buy it online and go straight to a partner lab in Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid or Málaga, with no referral.
Is a urine culture the same as a urinalysis?
No. A urinalysis is a quick chemical and microscope check of your urine that can show signs of infection, such as white blood cells or nitrites. The culture grows the bacteria to confirm the infection and test antibiotics against it. You can get both together in our urinalysis and urine culture test.
This content is for information only and doesn't replace medical advice.
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