Neisseria gonorrhoeae Urine Culture (Qualitative)

Your healthcare provider may order this test to find out whether you have gonorrhea, a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria. Finding the infection early allows prompt treatment, which helps protect your health, prevents the spread to partners, and lowers the risk of serious complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease or infertility.

Your healthcare provider may order this test if you have symptoms like painful urination, unusual discharge, or pelvic pain in women, or if you have risk factors for gonorrhea, such as unprotected sex or multiple sexual partners. It’s also used to monitor treatment effectiveness or check for reinfection.

Before the test, tell your provider about any medicines you are taking, especially antibiotics, because recent antibiotic use can affect the results. You may be asked to avoid urinating for one to two hours before giving a urine sample. In most cases no fasting or special preparation is needed, and you can eat and drink normally.

No special preparation is needed. You’ll likely provide a midstream urine sample in a sterile container. If you’re a man, you may need to urinate into the container yourself. Women may use a sterile swab to collect urine from the urethra.

The test usually uses a small sample of urine or a gentle swab taken from the area that may be infected, such as the cervix, urethra, throat, or rectum. The sample is sent to a laboratory, where technicians use a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) to detect the genetic material of the bacteria that cause gonorrhea. The procedure is quick and typically causes little or no discomfort.

The urine sample is sent to a lab, where it’s cultured on special growth media to detect *Neisseria gonorrhoeae* bacteria. If present, the bacteria will grow and can be identified under a microscope or confirmed with additional testing.

Results are usually available within a few days. If your test is positive, your provider will prescribe antibiotics, and it is important to take every dose exactly as directed even if you feel better. Your recent sexual partners should also be tested and treated, and you should avoid sexual activity until treatment is complete. Contact your provider if symptoms continue or return after treatment.

Results are typically available within 2–5 business days. A positive result means gonorrhea is likely present and treatment with antibiotics is recommended. A negative result means no bacteria were found in the sample, but symptoms could still indicate another infection.