A 48-year-old member asked:
can bacteria grow in your urine?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Michael Ein answered
Infectious Disease 48 years experience
Yes: Urine cultures from patients with urinary tract infections frequently have greater than 100, 000 colonies of bacteria growing from each milliliter of urine.
5206 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Similar questions
Garland, TX
A 19-year-old female asked:
What does it mean when I have bacteria in my urine?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Dan Fisher answered
Internal Medicine 27 years experience
Doesn't mean much: Bacteria is sometimes found in urine for a variety of reasons. Bacteria is often a contaminant. Bacteria is only significant when the patient has signs and symptoms of infection ( burning, frequency, urgency, pressure in the bladder, fever, etc.) or when the organism is clearly a pathogenic organism - such as pseudomonas - and has no business in the urine.
5634 viewsAnswered Nov 20, 2018
A 45-year-old member asked:
What exactly does it mean when you have few bacteria in your urine?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Charles Sturgis answered
Pathology 29 years experience
Often not a concern.: When urine is studied in a lab (urinalysis and/or culture), the lab staff will study the urine under a microscope. They may see (or culture) bacteria. These may represent a true bacterial infection, or in some instances if they are very few in number and if there is no accompanying inflammation, the bacteria may be a contaminant from the skin from the time of specimen collection. Ask your doc.
5032 viewsAnswered Aug 29, 2018
A 44-year-old member asked:
How could urogenital bacteria get into urine?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

Dr. James Pritsiolas answered
Nephrology and Dialysis 22 years experience
If real, from skin: Most likely contamination from the skin, especially if your urinalysis has epithelial cells. If your urinalysis does not have epithelial cells, or if yo have symptoms such as burning when you urinate or the need to urinate more often, then then this may truly reflect a urinary tracy infection from these bacteria having ascended your urethra via your skin.
4888 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Ponchatoula, LA
A 16-year-old female asked:
I have a little bacteria in my urine I'm 16?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

Dr. Alvin Lin answered
Geriatrics 30 years experience
UTI vs STD: Urine is supposed to be sterile. And peeing/voiding is supposed to be painless. How do you know you have a little bacteria in your urine? Why were you checked? Most common cause of bacteria in urine is a urinary tract infection (UTI) either simple bladder infection or more complicated & serious kidney infection. Sexually transmitted diseases can also make your urine appear dirty. See your doc
1168 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Last updated May 5, 2014
People also asked
Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere.
24/7 visits
$15 per month
Disclaimer:
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.