Which finding suggests that the urine sample collection was likely incorrect?

• A. Many bacteria present
• B. Major formed elements are white blood cells and yeast
• C. Type and number of epithelial cells indicate contamination
• D. Red blood cells would yield a positive blood strip

Answer: (C)

Urine analysis relies on a specimen that truly represents bladder urine, which means the collection should minimize material from skin or genital tract. The presence and specific type of epithelial cells reveal whether the sample was contaminated. A large number of squamous epithelial cells, which line the genital and urethral tissues, indicates the specimen likely picked up cells from the skin or vaginal area rather than being a clean catch from the bladder. This contamination makes the results unreliable for diagnosing infections or other conditions, so this finding most strongly signals that the collection was improper. In contrast, many bacteria can result from infection or occasional contamination, white blood cells and yeast point to inflammation or fungal issues, and red blood cells or a positive blood strip indicate the presence of blood in the urine—none of these alone confirms an improper collection. The epithelial cell pattern specifically points to collection technique as the issue.