Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) remain one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide, affecting millions of patients each year. While conventional culture-based methods remain widely used, they are slow, often insensitive, and fail to detect polymicrobial infections or fastidious organisms.

Modern molecular diagnostics — especially multiplex qPCR — have transformed UTI detection by enabling rapid, sensitive, and species-level identification of uropathogens within hours, not days.

At MicroVerix, we support diagnostic laboratories with clinically relevant, whole-organism IMCP™ controls designed specifically for qPCR-based UTI panels. Our controls help labs validate assay performance, ensure run-to-run consistency, and meet quality system requirements with confidence.

Why Molecular Testing for UTI?

1. Faster Turnaround Times

Traditional culture requires 24–72 hours for pathogen growth and biochemical confirmation. Molecular qPCR detects pathogens directly from patient samples — even at low bacterial loads — providing actionable results the same day.

2. Higher Sensitivity and Specificity

qPCR identifies organisms that are:

• Slow-growing

• Difficult to culture

• Present in mixed infections

• Present in low copy numbers

This sensitivity is crucial for detecting organisms like:

• Ureaplasma parvum

• Mycoplasma hominis

• Gardnerella vaginalis

• Enterococcus faecalis

3. Polymicrobial Infection Detection

Up to 20–30% of UTIs involve multiple pathogens, which culture often misses.
Multiplex qPCR detects co-infections accurately — a major benefit for recurrent UTI cases.

4. Improved Antibiotic Stewardship

Molecular detection helps clinicians:

• Tailor therapy

• Avoid broad-spectrum misuse

• Reduce antimicrobial resistance risks

???? The Role of Quality Controls in UTI Molecular Testing

High-performing molecular assays require equally high-performing controls. Without proper controls, labs risk:

• False positives

• False negatives

• Run-to-run inconsistency

• Invalid reports

• Regulatory non-compliance

MicroVerix IMCP™ controls provide a robust, dependable QC framework for every UTI panel run.

MicroVerix IMCP™ Controls for UTI Panels

MicroVerix IMCP™ (Inactivated Microbial Cell Pellets) are whole-organism molecular controls, prepared from physically inactivated, intact microbes. These controls mirror real clinical samples, ensuring the entire workflow is validated — from extraction to qPCR amplification.

✔ Whole-organism controls (not synthetic DNA)

✔ Stable and reproducible

✔ Compatible with all major qPCR platforms

✔ Ideal for extraction + amplification workflow validation

✔ Designed for multiplex UTI panels

Available UTI IMCP™ Panel Members

MicroVerix UTI control panels are designed to include a comprehensive range of clinically important uropathogens, ensuring accurate validation of multiplex qPCR assays. These panels can incorporate Escherichia coli, the most common cause of UTIs; Klebsiella pneumoniae, associated with rising antimicrobial resistance; and Proteus mirabilis, known for complicated infections and stone formation. They also cover gram-positive pathogens such as Enterococcus faecalis/faecium, frequently found in nosocomial UTIs, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus, a leading cause of community-acquired infections in young women. For catheter-associated and hospital-acquired infections, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is included, while fastidious organisms such as Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma spp. address culture-negative UTI cases. The panel further extends to Gardnerella vaginalis, often linked to dysbiosis and recurrent UTIs, and Candida species for detecting fungal uropathogens in immunocompromised patients. MicroVerix also offers fully customizable UTI panels tailored to support specific laboratory workflows and assay designs.

Why MicroVerix IMCP™ Controls Stand Out

Whole-Organism Authenticity

Unlike synthetic plasmid DNA controls, IMCP™ controls behave like genuine patient specimens. This ensures extraction + amplification workflows are fully validated.

Room Temperature Stability Options

Lyophilized formats available for easy storage, shipping, and integration into high-throughput workflows.

Customizable Panels

Choose any pathogen panel composition — including gram-negative, gram-positive, and fungal organisms — to mirror your exact assay design.

Consistency & Traceability

Every IMCP™ lot follows strict manufacturing, inactivation, and analytical QC standards.

The Future of UTI Diagnostics

As molecular diagnostics continue to transform clinical microbiology, labs need robust quality controls to keep up with the demands of accuracy, speed, and regulatory compliance.

MicroVerix is committed to empowering laboratories with the next generation of whole-organism molecular controls, enabling precise and reliable UTI pathogen detection that improves patient outcomes.

Partner with MicroVerix

Whether you're validating a new UTI panel, expanding your QC program, or customizing organism controls, MicroVerix is ready to support you.