I gave a urine sample today for an ETG. I am taking AZO for a UTI and reading the bottom of the box and it read "this product can interfere with laboratory tests, including glucose, sugar urine and ketones tests." Does this mean it can give me a false positive for alcohol on the ETG?

I gave a urine sample today for an ETG. I am taking AZO for a UTI and reading the bottom of the box and it read "this product can interfere with laboratory tests, including glucose, sugar urine and ketones tests." Does this mean it can give me a false positive for alcohol on the ETG?

Yes it does. Actually it is a true positive because ethanol is fermented in your intestinal tract. This is a well known phenomenon with UTI.

In the event you are scheduled for EtG test you should advise them in writing of the UTI and medication. A hand-written note is OK.

Below is a link to Tox News. Printing a copy of this to submit with the test would be helpful.


Clinical & Forensic Toxicology News, Jun 2009 (http://www.aacc.org/publications/toxicology/Documents/June_2009_CFTN.pdf) reported on the finding available to that time with emphasis on the 24 hour period for degradation and spontaneous generation of EtG.

Helander & Dahl (2005) Urinary Tract Infection: A Risk Factor for False-Negative Urinary Ethyl Glucuronide but Not Ethyl Sulfate in the Detection of Recent Alcohol Consumption. Clinical Chemistry, September 2005 vol. 51 no. 9 1728-1730