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Legionella Culture [688X]
Test Code960
CPT Codes
87081
Preferred Specimen
1 gram lung tissue, fresh (unfixed) tissue or
3 mL bronchial lavage/wash, or sputum, or bronchial alveolar lavage, or pleural fluid, or nasopharyngeal lavage/wash, or tracheal lavage/wash
3 mL bronchial lavage/wash, or sputum, or bronchial alveolar lavage, or pleural fluid, or nasopharyngeal lavage/wash, or tracheal lavage/wash
Minimum Volume
2 mL for bronchial washings, sputum, bronchial alveolar lavage, pleural fluid, nasopharyngeal lavage/wash or tracheal lavage/wash
Instructions
Lung biopsy: Place lung biopsy into sterile container.
Sputum: Instruct patient to gargle with water and cough deeply to collect deep respiratory specimen in sterile container.
Aspirate: Place aspirate or washing into sterile container.
Tissue: Add small amount of sterile, non-bacteriostatic, distilled water to prevent drying, if necessary. Do not add saline, because it may be inhibitory.
Sputum: Instruct patient to gargle with water and cough deeply to collect deep respiratory specimen in sterile container.
Aspirate: Place aspirate or washing into sterile container.
Tissue: Add small amount of sterile, non-bacteriostatic, distilled water to prevent drying, if necessary. Do not add saline, because it may be inhibitory.
Transport Temperature
Refrigerated (cold packs)
Specimen Stability
Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: Unacceptable
Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Expired transport device • Environmental sources • Received in viral transport media • urine samples
Methodology
Culture
Setup Schedule
Set up: Daily; Report available: 8 days
Reference Range
Not isolated
Clinical Significance
Bacteria in the genus Legionella primarily cause respiratory illness, i.e. either Legionnaires' disease, a systemic illness manifested primarily by pneumonia, or Pontiac fever, a nonpneumonic, influenza-like illness. Legionellae may also cause a variety of other illnesses.
