Sterile body fluid (e.g. peritoneal, pericardial or pleural) culture is optimally done with large-volume cultures in blood culture bottles, paired with a traditional culture. This procedure is orderable as “Sterile body fluids culture – automated”, Epic LAB2413. As of Tuesday, June 28, 2022, sterile fluid cultures will require the new (plastic) blood culture bottles rather than the older (glass) bottles. The glass bottles will expire shortly and should be exchanged through Hospital Stores if found on the floors.

As reminders, these cultures always require fluid to placed in bottles as well as additional fluid for traditional culture and Gram stain. This means that extra sample should be sent if bottles are inoculated at the bedside. If fluid is sent to the laboratory (e.g. in a capped syringe or yellow top tube), the laboratory will manage inoculation of cultures. Because the Epic order includes all types of cultures, an additional order for aerobic culture of stains is not necessary.

The bottles can be ordered from Hospital Stores with the following PS#:
173590 BTL Blood Culture FA Plus Aerobic Plastic
173591 BTL Blood Culture FN Plus Anaerobic Plastic
173743 Adapter Female Blood Culture Device Saf-T Holder

Questions specifically related to this issue can be directed to Bradley Ford, MD, PhD, Medical Director of Clinical Microbiology; (ext. 6-2990, bradley-ford@uiowa.edu; *8290).