A urine culture is a diagnostic test that is used to look for bacteria or other infections in the urinary tract. Urine cultures are generally done when there is symptoms such as fever, pain with urination, and blood in the urine.
There are a few risks associated with a urine culture. The most common is that the test may show a false-positive result, which is when the culture shows signs of bacteria when there is actually no infection present. A false-positive result can lead to additional testing and possible antibiotics being prescribed, which could lead to serious side effects.
Another risk is that the patient may develop a urinary tract infection (UTI) as a result of the urine culture. UTIs are common and can be very serious. They can cause a UTI to spread to other parts of the body, which can result in kidney damage or even death.
Finally, a urine culture may also cause discomfort or pain during the test.