Culture And Sensitivity Aerobic Urethral Swab
What is this test?
Urethral swab culture and sensitivity is a technique predominantly used to test the sensitivity of the aerobic bacteria, which may be the reason for infections in the urethra. This test is done on men and boys who are more vulnerable to get urethral infections.
What are Urethra, Bacteria, Aerobic Bacteria, and their types?
The urethra is a tube that carries urine outside of the body. It also carries semen.
Bacteria are the single-celled micro-organisms that can live within the soil, in the ocean and also inside the human gut. They have a number of shapes such as spirals, rods, and spheres etc. Some bacteria can cause illness to the human body and some other plays a major role in the overall functioning of our ecosystem.
Aerobic bacteria are the bacteria which can survive in the presence of oxygen only. In the absence of oxygen, aerobic bacteria cannot survive and can die. Some of the aerobic bacteria are Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Nocardia, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis etc. When bacteria cause infection to the urethra, then the condition is known as urethritis.
Why this test is performed?
This test is performed to check if an individual is suffering from infection due to aerobic bacteria or not. This test may be recommended to you by a physician, if you experience symptoms like pain or discomfort during intercourse, urethral discharge with a bad smell, burning, and painful sensation during urination, itching or irritation around or at the urethral region, increased or frequent urination, pain during sex, blood in urine, swollen testicles, etc.
This test also helps the doctors to plan the treatment according to the type of bacteria, that infects the urethra. The test is also performed to check the effectiveness of the treatment.
Also known as C/S Aerobic Urethral Swab.
Test Preparation
Inform your doctor if you are on any medications, have any allergies or underlying medical conditions before your Culture And Sensitivity Aerobic Urethral Swab. Your doctor will give specific instructions depending on your condition on how to prepare for Culture And Sensitivity Aerobic Urethral Swab.
Do not urinate for at least 1 hour prior to the test. Urinating may wash away some germs those needed for accurate test results.
Understanding your test results
The test results may vary depending on age, health history, medical condition, etc.
If your test results are negative, then it may indicate that there are no signs of growth of aerobic bacteria.
If your test results are positive, then it may indicate there is a chance for growth of aerobic bacteria which means you may have an aerobic bacterial infection in the urethra.
If abnormal test results were seen, consult your doctor immediately with your lab test reports.
| Gender | Age groups | Value |
| UNISEX | All age groups | The growth depends on the infecting organism. Clearing around the disc indicates organism is sensitive to antibiotic |