Pretorian Labs

Summer Swimming and UTIs — Is There a Connection?

With pool season in full swing, here's something worth knowing: summer brings an increased risk for UTIs for both men and women. (University of Texas at Austin)

The connection to swimming is real. Pools can become a breeding ground for bacteria when chlorine levels are low, people skip showering before jumping in, or there's contamination in the water. (University of Texas at Austin) And it's not just pools — research shows that women who swim in natural bodies of water like lakes and rivers have significantly higher odds of developing a UTI compared to those who don't. (The V Seal)

One of the biggest culprits? Sitting around in a wet swimsuit — it allows bacteria to grow and find their way into the urinary tract. (Boston Urogyn) Heat and humidity compound the risk, making hydration an important but often overlooked defense. (Urology Health)

When a UTI is suspected, fast and accurate testing matters. Molecular UTI testing can identify the specific pathogen driving the infection — taking the guesswork out of treatment and helping providers get patients on the right antibiotic sooner.

At Pretorian Labs, our molecular team is here to support providers with the precise, timely results that make a difference when patients need answers.

Want to learn more about our UTI testing capabilities? Drop a comment or send us a message — we'd love to connect!

REMEMBER AND HONOR

Why Do Reference Ranges Differ Between Labs?
You may have noticed that the "normal" range on a lab result isn't always the same depending on where the test was run. That's not a mistake — and it's worth understanding why.

Reference ranges are established by each laboratory based on their specific instrumentation, reagents, and the population they validated against. A result that falls just outside the range at one lab might sit comfortably within range at another — not because the patient changed, but because the benchmarks were built differently.

That's why consistency matters. When providers send their patients to the same lab over time, result trends become far more meaningful and reliable.

At Pretorian Labs, our validated reference ranges are built with precision and transparency — so providers can trust what they're seeing, every time.

Have questions about how we establish our reference ranges or how to interpret results across labs? Drop a comment or send us a message — we're happy to help!

🕐 Why Your Lab's Turnaround Time Actually Matters
When a provider is waiting on a tox result, that's not just a number in a queue — it's a patient waiting on a treatment decision.
Fast, reliable turnaround times mean:

✅ Clinicians can adjust medications sooner
✅ Compliance monitoring stays on track
✅ Your practice runs more efficiently — fewer follow-up calls, less chasing results

At Pretorian Labs, we know that being Ohio's #1 toxicology lab isn't just about accurate results — it's about getting them to you when you need them. Because in healthcare, timing is part of the diagnosis.

💬 Have questions about what to expect from your lab's turnaround time? Drop them in the comments or send us a message — we're happy to talk through it.

C-A-M-O for C-E-O. Happy Birthday Carmen!