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Written by the Biotia team and our collaborators, learn more about the infectious diseases we address, the science of clinical metagenomics, and more.

Why Did My Urine Culture Come Back Negative?

You had the symptoms. You took the test. The result came back negative. Here is what is actually happening — and what to do next.

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UTI 101

What a UTI is, how it's diagnosed, how it's treated, and what to do when first-line care isn't enough.

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Series

Antimicrobial Resistance

Why resistance is reshaping UTI care, how it spreads, and how better diagnostics restore treatment options.

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Series

Clinical Metagenomics

Understanding the different next-generation sequencing approaches for infectious diseases.

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Series

UTI 101

What a UTI is, how it's diagnosed, how it's treated, and what to do when first-line care isn't enough.

Explore the series →Series

Antimicrobial Resistance

Why resistance is reshaping UTI care, how it spreads, and how better diagnostics restore treatment options.

Explore the series →Series

Clinical Metagenomics

Understanding the different next-generation sequencing approaches for infectious diseases.

Explore the series →

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Colorized scanning electron micrograph of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria shown as purple rod-shaped cells against a blue background

Klebsiella pneumoniae and UTI: Causes, Testing, and Treatment

Learn how Klebsiella pneumoniae causes UTIs, who is at risk, why antibiotic resistance matters, and how culture, PCR, and NGS detect it.

Urogenital Pathogens

Scanning electron micrograph of Enterococcus faecalis bacteria, shown as blue oval-shaped cells in clusters

Enterococcus faecalis and UTI: Causes, Testing, and Treatment

Enterococcus faecalis is a leading cause of complicated and catheter-associated UTIs. Learn how biofilms, resistance, and culture gaps shape diagnosis and treatment.

Urogenital Pathogens

Anatomical pencil illustration of human kidneys, ureters, and connecting blood vessels

Interstitial Cystitis vs. UTI: What Is the Difference?

UTI and IC/BPS share symptoms but need different treatment. Learn how to tell them apart, why misdiagnosis happens, and what a negative urine culture can mean.

Diagnosing UTIs

Woman with long dark hair standing outdoors at dusk, looking upward, with palm trees and a violet sunset sky behind her

Menopause, GSM, and Recurrent UTIs

Menopause causes a drop in estrogen that can contribute to conditions like genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and recurrent UTIs.

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E. coli bacterial colonies growing on an agar plate, shown as round yellow-orange clusters

Escherichia coli and UTI: Causes, Testing, and Treatment

E. coli causes 80–90% of UTIs. Learn how uropathogenic strains use biofilms, intracellular communities, and resistance genes — and which tests find them.

Urogenital Pathogens

Gloved hand holding a small clear tube containing a urine sample

Is Urine Sterile? The Urobiome and UTIs

Urine is not sterile. The urinary tract hosts its own microbial community — the urobiome — and its balance shapes UTI risk, diagnosis, and recurrence.

The Urinary Microbiome