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HelpTest Code LAB2555 Miscellaneous Culture Aerobic
Infectious
Clinical System Name
Miscellaneous Culture Aerobic
Synonyms
Superficial Wound
Skin Culture
Aerobic Culture
LAB2555
Sample Requirements
SCH Main Campus Specimen Collection: Sample should be collected on a BD ESwab. This swab type is acceptable for both culture and Gram stain.
Off-Site Specimen collection: Samples should be collected in BD ESwabs which contains Amies transport media.
Container: Swab should be inserted into the sterile tube containing the Amies media provided in the package.
Preferred Vol: N/A
Minimum Vol: N/A
Note: Anaerobes are not included in a superficial wound culture. See Wound Culture for deep wounds if anaerobic organisms are of concern.
Processing Instructions
CPA: Send sample to Microbiology for processing. If sample is shared and only one tube, syringe or other container is received, affix shared sample label and send entire sample plus requisition to Microbiology.
Off-site processing: Miscellaneous cultures collected on ESwabs should be sent to SCH Micro for culture set up. Swabs can be held at room temperature before and during courier transport to SCH Micro. ESwabs can be used for both culture and gram stain.
Stability
| BD ESwab | |
|---|---|
| Temp | Time |
| Room temp | 24 hours |
| Refrigerated | OK up to 48 hours |
| Frozen | N |
Availability
| Procedure | Performed | Turn Around Time (TAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Gram Stain | 24/7 |
2 hours |
| Culture | 24/7 | 2 - 7 days |
Cultures are read at appropriate intervals to detect early bacterial growth. STAT requests are not applicable.
Performing Laboratory
Seattle Children's Laboratory
Department
Microbiology Laboratory
CPT Codes
87070
87205 (Gram Stain)
This test is not limited to the CPT codes listed. Others may be added as more testing is necessary and depending on the pathogens isolated (such as MIC's and ID's)
Description
Miscellaneous culture Includes Bacterial Culture and Gram Stain. This culture type is appropriate for culture of superficial body sites and is meant for isolation of Aerobic bacteria only.
If sample type requires culture for both Aerobes and Anaerobes, such as deep wounds, a Wound Culture should be ordered instead.
If hardware is collected for culture, order a Wound, Hardware Associated Culture.
If tissue is collected for culture, order a Tissue Culture.
Reporting Information
Preliminary Report: 18 - 24 hours
Final Report: 2 - 7 days
No growth cultures are typically held for 7 days.
Notifiable Result
See Link below for Notifiable Conditions for WA state labs:
https://doh.wa.gov/public-health-healthcare-providers/notifiable-conditions
See Link below for PDF of phone numbers for Local Health jurisdictions (by County) in WA State:
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1200/LHJCommunicableDiseaseReporting.pdf