Culture of material from the urogenital organs

Sample collection is not performed at the Point of Collection. In order to perform the test, you must provide a sample taken at the doctor's office.

Urogenital smear - what is it?

Urinary-genital swabbing is a microbiological test that is designed to evaluate the pathogenic microorganisms that are currently causing conditions affecting this system in a given patient. This test allows for the accurate identification of bacterial species (or other pathogens) and, consequently, also the determination of the most effective treatment, precisely selected for a given clinical case.

Urogenital smear - when to perform?

This test is useful during a more accurate diagnosis of certain diseases. It can sometimes be used for a more thorough examination of diseases affecting the excretory system (e.g., kidneys, bladder, or urinary exit tract), but it is primarily used during the treatment of genital diseases, which are usually transmitted through sexual intercourse. People who frequently change sexual partners and do not use adequate protection during sexual intercourse are particularly prone to these diseases.

The material for this test is secretions or other fluids present on the genitourinary organs (culture performed from a urine sample is a separate test). Many of the genital diseases in their course result in pathological vaginal secretions in women or urethral secretions in men.

After the material is collected and subjected to specialized microbiological analysis, it is possible to determine the exact strain of bacteria and determine their resistance to antibiotics, which allows to select the most effective one to treat a given patient.

Urogenital smear - who should perform it?

This test is usually ordered when symptoms of a disease affecting this system do not resolve after administration of an antibiotic selected on the basis of a clinical diagnosis of the disease. Individuals at risk for STDs, in addition to routine diagnostics for asymptomatic carriers, should see a doctor if they notice the following symptoms in themselves:

• pain and burning during urination
• painfulness during sexual intercourse
• vaginal bleeding unrelated to the monthly cycle
• unusual vaginal discharges
• genital itching
• presence of pathological lesions (such as vesicles or pustules) on the genitals

Fast implementation of treatment in the course of these diseases makes it possible to effectively cure the patient before any complications of the disease entity occur, or before the disease is transmitted to another person. In addition, this test can be ordered for difficult diagnosis of recurrent vaginal infections in women, which are not necessarily caused by sexually transmitted pathogens.

Urogenital smear results

The results of this test clearly distinguish the etiology of the genitourinary disease present and determine whether it is caused by fungi, bacteria or other microorganisms. This is extremely important when selecting the appropriate treatment. At the same time, when performing cultures, it is possible to assess the antibiotic resistance of the pathogens in question, which allows the attending physician to choose the most effective treatment that will be most effective for the patient.