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HelpTest Code LAB942 Ear (Middle) Culture
Infectious
Clinical System Name
Ear (Middle) Culture
Synonyms
Middle Ear
Inner Ear
Otitis
LAB942
Sample Requirements
Specimen: Sterile aspiration of fluid from the middle ear.
Container: Swab should be inserted into the sterile plastic tube provided in the package. Syringes used for inner ear aspirates should be capped to maintain sample integrity.
Preferred Volume: N/A
Minimum Volume: N/A
SCH Main Campus Specimen collection: Obtain specimen using sterile technique. Middle or inner ear aspirates from sterile tympanocentesis collection should be submitted in a capped syringe.
For samples from ruptured ear drum drainage, the ear fluid should be collected on a BD ESwab and ordered as Ear (External) Culture. The swab is inserted into the tube of Amies transport media supplied in the collection kit.
Off-Site Specimen collection: Sample must be received by SCH Lab within 24 hours of collection. Obtain specimen using sterile technique. Middle or inner ear aspirates from sterile tympanocentesis collection should be submitted in a capped syringe.
For samples from ruptured ear drum drainage, the ear fluid should be collected on a BD ESwab and ordered as Ear (External) Culture. The swab is inserted into the tube of Amies transport media supplied in the collection kit.
Processing Instructions
CPA: Send sample to Microbiology for processing.
Off-site processing: Off-site Children's Lab locations should set up culture if middle or inner ear fluid is sent in a sterile tube or capped syringe (without transport media). After culture set up, refrigerate remaining sample until transport to SCH Micro.
Samples collected on BD ESwabs are sent to Main Campus Microbiology for culture set up. Swabs can be held at room temperature before and during courier transport. The exception to this includes samples received after the second to the last courier of the day. These late in the day samples should be set up and incubated at the Regional Lab to avoid result delay. Any left over ESwab Amies media can be held at room temp and sent with the plates to SCH Micro.
Stability
| Sterile Syringe | |
|---|---|
| Temp | Time |
| Room temp | 1 Hour |
| Refrigerated | 24 Hours |
| Frozen |
N |
| BD Eswab (Order as Ear (External) Culture) | |
|---|---|
| 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 |
1 Hour |
| Culture | 24/7 | 2 - 7 days |
Cultures are read at appropriate intervals to detect early bacterial growth. STAT culture requests are not applicable.
Final incubation time is dependent on the Gram stain results. See Reporting Information section for additional information.
Performing Laboratory
Seattle Children's Laboratory
Department
Microbiology Laboratory
CPT Codes
87070
87075
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 (example: MIC's and ID's)
Description
Includes Bacterial Culture and Gram Stain. Specimen cultured for Aerobic and Anaerobic bacteria.
Reporting Information
Preliminary Report: 18 - 24 hours
Negative Final Report: 2 - 7 days
No Growth cultures are 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