How long does a urine culture take to process?

You will need to visit your doctor’s office to get your urine cultured. The doctor will take a sample from you and send it to the lab for analysis. The lab will usually process the sample in one to two days. When the results are ready, your doctor will call you to discuss the results and any action they will need to take next.

How long does a urine culture take to turn positive?

A culture generally takes around three days to turn positive. This is because the culture tests for bacteria and fungus. It can take longer for yeast to grow and start to show up as a positive result. Often, the lab will report culture results as negative after three days if they find no growth.

How long does a urine culture take to grow?

If your urine culture is positive, it will take between two to four days to grow to sufficient levels to determine if it is caused by an infection. This time frame is specific to your lab and your physician, and is based on the lab’s detection level and the severity of the infection.

How long does it take to process a urine culture?

Your doctor will usually not know the results of a urine culture until about two days after you submit your sample. This is because the lab needs time to analyze the sample. To minimize the chances of contamination, the doctor usually gives you a special specimen cup with a lab tape over the opening. This helps keep bacteria from being accidentally introduced into your urine.

How long does a urine culture take for results?

Doctors typically receive a urine culture report within 24 hours. If cultures grow bacteria, it will take a few more days to determine the type of bacteria and the appropriate antibiotic. This is important because some types of bacteria are resistant to one or more antibiotics.