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Aerobic Bacteria Culture

Last Modified: 6/9/2010 1:51:34 PM


Patient Preparation: Surface wounds should be cleaned before collection of specimen with an alcohol swab or sterile saline.
Specimen Requirements: Aerobic Culture Swab (Red cap w/out gel or Red cap w/ Pledget)
or 
Liquid Specimen in sterile plastic container 
or 
Tissue in a sterile plastic container 
or
> 5.0 mL of Fluid in a sterile container
Collection Instructions:
Source Examples for this test are:  Eye, Ear, Fluids, Tissue, Wounds, Etc. 
For IV Cath-Tips specify type; No Gram Stain will be performed for C-Tips

Current antibiotic therapy, collection site and/or source all must be written on the test requisition

1. Remove cap/swabs from package
2. Swab sample area
3. Return cap/swabs to tube
4. Push cap to bring swab into contact with moistened pledget

For a wound collection see separate collection instructions at Addendum D
Temperature & Stability: 24 hours Ambient optimal
48 hours Ambient acceptable
Reference Range: Negative
Test Comments: Determination of organism susceptibility to an appropriate battery of antibiotics will be performed if indicated. Specimens are inoculated onto artificial growth media and incubated sufficient time to allow growth of the suspected microbe. Media type, incubation conditions and period of incubation may vary with the type of microorganism suspected. 

Positive results are rendered as soon as available either as preliminary (partial) or final (complete) reports. 

Negative reports are rendered when sufficient incubation time has elapsed without growth on culture media capable of supporting growth of the suspected organism.
Methodology: Manual
Custom Panel: No

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

Turn Around Time: 3 days
Days Performed: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Sites Performed: Parkview Central Laboratory
PHL Test Code: CXAER
Alternate Test Names: Culture, Aerobic; Culture, Miscellaneous; Culture, Wound; Miscellaneous Culture
Included Tests: Aerobic Culture; Gram Stain; Organisim Identification if indicated; Susceptibility if indicated
CPT Coding: 87070, 87205 (Reflexes 87186, 87077)

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