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HelpTest Code BACT Culture, Bacterial, Aerobic
Infectious
Additional Codes
Epic LAB897
Methodology
Gram Stain will be performed on all tissue and normally sterile body fluids. Includes preparation, staining, and microscopic examination of the smear, including quantitative evaluation of relevant cells and microorganisms. May include concentration of normally sterile fluids using Cytospin technique. Gram stain is automatically ordered by laboratory on cultures submitted from sputum, ronchoalveolar lavage, sterile body fluids, tissue, all surgically collected specimens, & abscess/pus material
Additional charges for tissue processing and concentration may be added depending on specimen type submitted.
Definitive identification and susceptibility testing on all clinically significant pathogens. Includes a semi-quantitative culture of catheter tip.
NOTE: Bacterial cultures of CSF and MEPCR should always be evaluated together. If no MEPCR LAB2331 is ordered with the culture, one will be added by the laboratory.
Performing Laboratory
Bronson Laboratory Services-Microbiology
Specimen Requirements
Specimen source is
required.
Acceptable Specimens: Abscess, body fluid,
drainage, ear, eye, tissue, wound, and catheter tip.
Causes for Rejection:
-Body fluid, drainage, or tissue at ambient temperature >2
hours or refrigerated in sterile container >24 hours.
-ESwab submitted >72 hours after collection.
-Foley catheter tip.
Specimen Type: Body fluid, drainage, or
tissue
Container/Tube: Screw-capped, sterile
container
Specimen Volume: Entire collection
Collection Instructions:
1. Label container with patient’s full name, date of
birth, and date and time of collection.
2. Do not refrigerate spinal fluid; these
specimens must be kept at ambient temperature only.
Additional Information: Green-top
(heparin) tube is also acceptable for synovial fluid only.
Specimen Type: Abscess, ear, eye, or wound
Container/Tube: ESwab
Specimen Volume: ESwab
Collection Instructions:
1. Place swab in culture transport tube to ensure
specimen preservation.
2. Label tube with patient’s full name, date of
birth, and date and time of collection.
Specimen Type: Catheter tip
Container/Tube: Screw-capped, sterile
container
Specimen Volume: 2 inches
Cause for Rejection: Foley catheter tip
Collection Instructions:
1. Catheter site and type and time of collection are
required.
2. Disinfect skin around catheter site using 10% povidone
iodophor solution to the area surrounding catheter. Iodine must
remain on skin 2 to 4 minutes. Remove iodine with 70% isopropyl
alcohol. Do not touch prepared site before or
during collection of specimen.
Note: If patient is allergic to iodine,
use isopropyl alcohol alone.
3. Aseptically remove catheter.
4. Aseptically clip 2 inches of tip of catheter using sterile
scissors.
5. Label container with patient’s full name, date of
birth, date and time of collection, and catheter site and type.
6. If there is a delay in transport, send specimen
refrigerated.
Collection Container
eSwab
NP eSwab
Specimen Transport Temperature
ESwab: Ambient/Refrigerate 72 hours
Body Fluid, Drainage, or Tissue: Ambient
2 hours/Refrigerate 24 hours
Spinal Fluid: Ambient/Do NOT
refrigerate
Catheter tip: Refrigerate 24
hours/Ambient 2 hours
Reference Values
Abscess, body fluid, drainage, ear, eye, tissue,
wound:
-Normal finding: no growth or normal bacterial flora
recovered
-Abnormal finding: bacterial pathogens and susceptibility
results will be reported
Critical value (automatic call-back): all positives on spinal fluid in both Gram Stain and growth on Culture.
Catheter tip:
-Normal finding: no growth or <15 colonies of normal
skin flora on initial plating media
-Abnormal finding: growth of pathogens not normally found
on the skin or growth of >15 colonies of normal skin flora
suggest an infected catheter site
Day(s) Test Set Up
Monday through Sunday
Test Classification and CPT Coding
87070
87205
87015
87176