QuestionHi Samantha, good evening.
I have 3 questions regarding Urinary Tract Infection Lab Test.
First, does Cells Bloods Counts(CBC)has any role in diagnosing UTI?. If yes, how?
Second is how to differentiate between upper UTI and lower UTI using lab tests? What are those lab tests used for that purpose and how?
Third, how to differentiate between viral or bacterial infection of UTI using lab tests not the classical symptoms?
Thank you.
AnswerHi Aeron. First, only sometimes is the CBC abnormal in someone who has a UTI. If the UTI is severe, then typically the WBC count will be high. Second, there's no lab test to differentiate between a upper and lower UTI. The only lab tests used to diagnose a UTI are a urinalysis and a urine culture, and they typically are ordered together. Third, UTIs are alomst always bacterial. Only rarely are UTIs caused by a virus. The urine culture will detect bacterial UTIs, but not viral UTIs. A viral UTI can sometimes be detected by a different test, a viral culture. But note that a virus is harder to detect, and sometimes a viral culture isn't highly accurate.
Samantha
