Home
HelpTest Code LAB943 Eye Culture
Infectious
Clinical System Name
Eye Culture
Synonyms
Conjunctiva
Eye Aspirate
Eye Scraping
Periorbital cellulitis
Sclera
LAB943
Sample Requirements
SCH Main Campus Specimen collection:
Sample should be collected on BD ESwab. This swab type is for both culture and Gram stain.
Conjunctival scrapings may be collected in the OR and plated directly onto Blood and Chocolate Agar by the physician. Plates are obtained from the Micro Lab in advance of the procedure upon request. Gram stain will not be performed on Conjunctival scrapings
Off-Site Specimen Collection:
Sample should be collected on BD ESwab, and send to SCH Micro for culture set up.
Note: Samples for r/o of GC should be collected using the Aptima Unisex or Aptima Multitest collection kit. See LabMan page for GC PCR.
Container: Swab should be inserted into the sterile plastic tube provided in the package that contains transport fluid.
Processing Instructions
CPA: Send sample to Microbiology for processing.
Off-site collection: Samples collected on BD ESwabs are sent to SCH Microbiology for culture set up. Swabs can be held at room temperature before and during specimen 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 site 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
| 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 |
1 h |
| 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
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
Includes Bacterial Culture and Gram Stain. Specimen cultured for Aerobic bacteria.
Note: See GC PCR for testing specifically for Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
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