What Can a PCR Test Reveal?
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When you start to develop the symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI), a solution for rapid relief is likely at the forefront of your mind. The first step toward relief from UTI symptoms is understanding which bacterial organism is responsible for your infection and, secondarily, which antibiotics will be effective against that bacteria. With traditional urine cultures and urinalyses, limited information is available in this regard, or takes several days to return. At Kasraeian Urology in Jacksonville, FL, board-certified urologists Dr. Ahmad Kasraeian and Dr. Ali Kasraeian are dedicated to helping patients find fast relief from all urologic symptoms and conditions — including UTIs — by offering the most current and advanced tools and technologies available today. For UTIs specifically, the PCR urine test provides a compelling opportunity to identify bacterial information and antibiotic sensitivities more quickly and accurately than ever before — allowing effective treatments to be administered sooner. In this blog, you’ll learn more about the benefits of a PCR test for UTI diagnosis.
How can I tell if I have a UTI?
There are many common signs and symptoms of a UTI that may mean you are likely to be infected, such as:
- Burning on urination
- Frequent or urgent need to void
- Pain on urination
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Cloudy urine
- Dark urine
- Bloody urine
- Strong-smelling urine
Still, you’ll need a formal evaluation to determine with certainty whether your symptoms are the result of a UTI. Traditionally, many providers perform a microscopic urinalysis — which involves looking at a urine sample under the microscope to evaluate for red cells, white cells, and other debris — or sending a urine sample for culture.
While urinalysis and urine cultures have long been used to help with the diagnosis and treatment process for UTIs, they provide limited and sometimes inaccurate information about the nature of the infection and the antibiotics that may be effective in treating it. For the most accurate, fastest UTI diagnosis and treatment, Kasraeian Urology offers the PCR urine test.
How is the PCR urine test better than a urine culture?
The PCR urine test is superior to traditional UTI tests in a number of ways, including its ability to identify specific bacteria that may be causing the infection and provide information on which antibiotic medications that specific bacteria may be sensitive (and resistant) to. More sensitive than other tests for UTIs, the PCR test evaluates for the following, along with STDs, yeast, and other urine or bladder contaminants:
- A. baumannii
- C. freundii/braakii
- Citrobacter koseri
- E. aerogenes
- E. cloacae
- B. fragilis
- E. faecalis/E. faecium
- E. coli
- K. oxytoca/michiganensis
- K. pneumoniae
- Morganella morganii
- Proteus mirabilis
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- S. epidermidis
- S. saprophyticus
- Staphylococcus aureus
- S. pyogenes (Group A)
- Serratia marcescens
Not only that, but the results of a PCR urine test are typically available the same day when performed at Kasraeian Urology, meaning patients can begin appropriate, effective treatment and enjoy UTI symptom relief sooner than ever.
Get same-day results for UTI testing with a PCR urine test in Jacksonville, FL
With the limited information offered by microscopic urinalysis and the delayed relief you may feel from waiting on urine culture results, a compelling case can be made for using the PCR urine test for a UTI diagnosis and treatment identification. When you or your loved one develop UTI symptoms in Jacksonville, FL call Kasraeian Urology to schedule your PCR urine test with board-certified urologists Drs. Ahmad and Ali Kasraeian to get the same-day UTI results and relief you deserve.