Escherichia coli

Urine

Other names: E. coli

check icon Optimal Result: 0 - 99999 cfu/ml.

Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli, is a significant bacterium often identified in urine culture panels, especially in the context of urinary tract infections (UTIs). This rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacterium is part of the normal flora of the human gut, but when it spreads to the urinary tract, it becomes a primary pathogen causing discomfort and health issues. A urine culture panel is a critical diagnostic tool used to detect and identify bacteria in urine samples, particularly E. coli, which is responsible for approximately 80-90% of UTIs. The presence of E. coli in a urine culture is a clear indication of infection, necessitating prompt and appropriate antibiotic treatment. The detection of E. coli in urine cultures is crucial, not only for effective patient management but also for monitoring antibiotic resistance patterns. Physicians rely on these results to tailor treatment plans, ensuring the use of the most effective antibiotics while avoiding unnecessary or ineffective treatment. For patients, a timely diagnosis of an E. coli infection in the urinary tract means quicker relief from symptoms such as pain, burning during urination, and urgency. In addition, understanding the prevalence and resistance patterns of E. coli in urine cultures can guide public health initiatives and infection control strategies, making the role of urine culture panels in diagnosing E. coli infections a cornerstone of both individual healthcare and broader public health efforts.

What does it mean if your Escherichia coli result is too high?

Elevated levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in a urine culture generally indicate a urinary tract infection (UTI). This increase in E. coli levels can lead to various symptoms, have multiple causes, and require specific treatment approaches.

Symptoms

The presence of high levels of E. coli in the urinary tract can lead to several symptoms, including:

→ Pain or Burning During Urination: Often the most noticeable symptom, indicating irritation of the urinary tract.

→ Frequent Urination: An increased urge to urinate, often with little urine passed.

→ Cloudy or Strong-Smelling Urine: Changes in urine appearance or odor can indicate infection.

→ Pelvic Pain (in women) or Rectal Pain (in men): Localized discomfort due to the infection's proximity.

→ Blood in Urine: Also known as hematuria, which can sometimes occur in a UTI.

→ Fever and Chills: Indicating a more severe infection that might have spread to the kidneys.

Causes

The elevation in E. coli levels in the urine can be due to:

→ Spread from the Anus to the Urethra: Due to E. coli's presence in the intestinal tract, it can easily migrate to the urethra, especially in females due to the shorter distance.

→ Sexual Activity: Can introduce bacteria into the urinary tract.

→ Urinary Retention: Incomplete emptying of the bladder can encourage bacterial growth.

→ Use of Certain Types of Birth Control: Such as diaphragms or spermicides, which can increase infection risk.

→ Compromised Immune System: Making the body less able to fight off infections.

→ Urinary Catheter Use: Can introduce bacteria directly into the urinary system.

Potential Treatment Options

Treatment typically involves:

→ Antibiotics: The primary treatment for a UTI caused by E. coli. The specific antibiotic prescribed depends on the resistance pattern of the bacteria, which is determined by the urine culture.

→ Pain Relief: Medications to alleviate the pain and burning sensations during urination.

→ Increased Fluid Intake: To help flush out bacteria from the urinary system.

→ Avoiding Irritants: Such as caffeine, alcohol, spicy food, nicotine, and artificial sweeteners, which can aggravate symptoms.

→ Proper Hygiene Practices: Such as wiping from front to back and urinating after sexual activity, to prevent infection recurrence.

In cases of recurrent UTIs, a doctor might recommend a longer course of antibiotics or other preventive measures. It's crucial to complete the entire course of antibiotics as prescribed, even if symptoms improve, to ensure the infection is fully eradicated and to prevent antibiotic resistance.

If symptoms are severe or persist despite treatment, further evaluation may be necessary to rule out other conditions or complications like kidney infections.

All Your Lab Results.
One Simple Dashboard.

Laboratories

Bring All Your Lab Results Together — In One Place

We accept reports from any lab, so you can easily collect and organize all your health information in one secure spot.

lab corp logo
genova diagnostics logo
quest diagnostics logo
dutch test logo
doctors data logo
vibrant america logo
diagnostic solutions logo
zrt laboratory logo
the great plains laboratory logo
cyrex laboratories logo
spectracell logo

Pricing Table

decoration

Personal plans

$15/ month

Complete Plan

Access your lab reports, explanations, and tracking tools.

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track all results with visual tools
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export your full lab history anytime
  • Share results securely with anyone
  • Begin with first report entered
  • Cancel or upgrade anytime

$250/ once

Unlimited Account

Pay once, access everything—no monthly fees, no limits.

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track all results with visual tools
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export your full lab history anytime
  • Share results securely with anyone
  • Receive 10 reports entered for you
  • Skip the $15/month subscription — no recurring payments ever

$45/ month

Pro Monthly

Designed for professionals managing their clients' lab reports

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track lab results for multiple clients
  • Customize reference ranges per client
  • Export lab histories and reports
  • Begin with first report entered by us
  • Cancel or upgrade anytime

About membership

What's included in a Healthmatters membership

microscope icon Import Lab Results from Any Source

person icon See Your Health Timeline

book icon Understand What Your Results Mean

textbook icon

textbook icon Visualize Your Results

folder icon

folder icon

card icon Securely Share With Anyone You Trust

Let Your Lab Results Tell the Full Story

What Healthmatters Members Are Saying

5 stars rating

I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with  any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.

Anthony

Unlimited Plan Member since 2021

5 stars rating

What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!

Karin

Advanced Plan Member since 2020

5 stars rating

As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!

Paul

Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024

Use promo code to save 10% off any plan.

Frequently asked questions

Healthmatters is a personal health dashboard that helps you organize and understand your lab results. It collects and displays your medical test data from any lab in one secure, easy-to-use platform.

  • Individuals who want to track and understand their health over time.
  • Health professionals, such as doctors, nutritionists, and wellness coaches, need to manage and interpret lab data for their clients.

With a Healthmatters account, you can:

  • Upload lab reports from any lab
  • View your data in interactive graphs, tables, and timelines
  • Track trends and monitor changes over time
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export and share your full lab history
  • Access your results anytime, from any device

Professionals can also analyze client data more efficiently and save time managing lab reports.

Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:

  • The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
  • GI-MAP,
  • The NutrEval FMV®,
  • The ION Profile,
  • Amino Acids Profile,
  • Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
  • Organic Acids Test,
  • Organix Comprehensive Profile,
  • Toxic Metals,
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC),
  • Metabolic panel,
  • Thyroid panel,
  • Lipid Panel,
  • Urinalysis,
  • And many, many more.

You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.

If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.

shield icon

We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.

At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.

gdpr compliance image hipaa compliance image