Collection Medium:

Testing
Schedule:

0700-1630, 7 days a week, including holidays.

Analytic Time:

See comments

Comments:

Deliver all specimens to the laboratory as soon as possible after
collection.  A fungal smear (KOH/Calcofluor) is automatically performed 
with each culture request.  Cultures held for 4-6 weeks.

A.  Blood - clean skin with an alcohol and iodine prep.  Collect
blood (8-10 ml for an adult, 1.5 ml for child) and inoculate into an 
appropriate Isolator tube available from Pathology Client Services.  
Collect in addition to bacterial blood culture bottles.  Cultures held 
for 5 days.

B.  See Bacterial Culture for collection and transport of all other
specimen types.

Methodology:

Standard tube media

Sample
Processing:

Label transport tube with two patient identifiers, date and time of 
collection.
Specimen should be collected and packaged as close to shipping time as 
possible.
Indicate specimen/fluid type on requisition.
Submit in sterile transport container.
Maintain sterility and forward promptly to lab.

Sample
Storage:

Refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Transport
Instructions:

Coolant packs up to 8 hours.
Place requisition into outside pocket of bag.
Place specimen into zip-lock type bag, seal bag.
Recommend express mail or equivalent if not on courier service.

Instructions:

Skin, hair and nails should be left at room temperature.

CPT Code:

87102

See also:
Bacterial Culture