Blood Culture - Adult, Multiple Sets

Epic code:	O120710 and O123906 (after visit)
Order form:	Microbiology Laboratory Requisition
Supply order:	Supply Order Form
Billing:	Billing Policies
CPT code:	87040

Collection Medium:

	and
Aerobic Blood Culture Bottle	and	Anaerobic Blood Culture Bottle

Testing Schedule:

24 hrs/day, 7 days a week, including holidays.

Turn Around Time:

Cultures are held for 5 days

Methodology:

Automated, continuous monitoring.

Instructions:

Most blood cultures should be ordered as 3 sets (a set consists 
of a pair of aerobic and anaerobic bottles) of bottles containing 10 
mL of blood each (60 mL total).

Key principles for the success of blood culture are as follows:
1) Sensitivity is determined by the total blood volume collected,
   before antibiotics.
   a. 6 full (10 mL each) bottles will miss 2% of bloodstream
      infections.
   b. 4 full (10 mL) bottles will miss 13% of bloodstream infections.
   c. 2 full or 4 half-full bottles will miss 28% of bloodstream
      infections.
   d. Ideally, three venipunctures should be performed immediately but
      a third set of bottles can be drawn at a 4-6 hour delay without
      significant loss of yield. 
2) False positive cultures are avoided by proper antisepsis and never
   drawing from indwelling catheters when a peripheral stick can be
   obtained.  Multiple venipunctures assist with interpretation of
   culture contaminants.

Sample Storage:

Room Temperature.
Label with patient identifiers and site of draw.

Transport Instructions:

Protect specimen by wrapping in bubble-wrap or toweling.
Blood - Do not freeze, ship at room temperature. Ship express mail with overnight delivery.