Instruction for Urine Sample Collection for STD

Important Note:

1. By catching the first 5-20 mL of the urine stream, the urine will contain sufficient organisms for detection.
2. A midstream urine collection can produce false negatives because most of the organisms have been flushed from the urethra before collection is initiated. A midstream urine is collected for UTI and not STD test.
3. It takes time for the purulent discharge to re-establish itself in front of and within the urethral opening. It is therefore important to assure that the patient has not urinated for at least an hour prior to specimen collection.
4. Collecting a larger sample will dilute the organisms and decrease the probability of organism detection.
5.  For STD testing, we need a dirty collection.
6. Specimens with blood in it must be rejected.

What is the stability of urine specimens?

Raw urine in a sterile urine collection device is stable for 24 hours when refrigerated at 2-8^oC. Specimens should not be stored at room temperature because the white cells in the specimen will destroy the organisms and their nucleic acids. Specimens are stable for 4 days when stored in a standard (-20^oC) freezer.

Urine samples can be collected in the Urine Conditioning Buffer (included in home collection kit). This buffer will stabilize total nucleic acids in the sample for 30 days at ambient temperature or when stored refrigerated or at room temperature (2-30^oC). Specimens in Aptima Urine Transport Tube has similar performance.

Urine grey top tube is for culture and sensitivity. It has preservatives that can inhibit PCR tests. Such samples must be rejected.

References:

1. Papp JR, Schacter J, Gaydos CA, and Van Der Pol B. Recommendations for the Laboratory-Based Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonrorrhoeae – 2014.  MMWR 63(RR02); 1-19.

Last Updated: 5/23/2022