Aerobic Body Fluid Culture

Body fluid for anaerobic culture refer to C BFAN
Body fluid culture for AFB, TB, Mycobacteria, MAC, MAI, atypical Mycobacteria refer to C AFB
Body fluid culture for FUNGUS (mould) refer to C F
CAPD fluid culture refer to C CAPD
CSF culture refer to C SF

C BF

Routine culture includes Gram stain

Aspirates of amniotic, ascites, bile, joint, knee, paracentesis, peritoneal, pleural, synovial or pericardial fluid are considered Sterile body fluids by this system.
Aseptically transfer as much fluid obtained into a sterile tube or sterile capped container. 
Do not collect on swabs. Swabs are less than optimal specimens for these sources.
NOTE: any body fluid received on a Swab will be considered a wound.

Ascites / Paracentesis / Peritoneal: 2ml  
Bile: 1ml 
Joint fluid (knee / Hip / synovial): 1ml 
Pericardial: 1ml
Pleural: 1ml

Describe using fluid common name with location if appropriate, such as: synovial fluid, right knee

Sterile capped cup or plain red (rubber) top vacutainer with NO additives, clot activators / serum separators.  

Send to the Lab within 30 minutes of collection.
Specimens are stable at room temperature for ≤ 24 hr EXCEPT pericardial fluid store refrigerated for upto 24 hrs

Unacceptable specimens:
Material collected on a swab (Note: specimen will be changed to a wound culture)
Non-sterile or leaking containers,
Frozen specimens,
Specimens collected in any unsuitable blood tubes, other than the plain red (rubber) top vacutainer this includes:

• Serum vacutainers with plastic red tops (these have a chemical coating on the tube) 
• Serum vacutainers with a serum separator (usually have a tiger top)
• Green top heparin tube
• Blue top buffered sodium citrate tube
• Purple top EDTA,
• Gray top 

NOTE: In certain circumstances, at the insistance of the physician, the culture may be set up if the fluid is irretrievable, in one of the above tubes. Consultation with senior personnel is required for approval. A comment will be added to the report since Microbiology are uncertain as to the effects of the anticoagulant or additives on the viability of the organisms. This comment is “Irretrievable specimen received in transport container NOT approved for microbiological culture and results may be compromised.  Results should be interpreted carefully and correlated to clinical considerations."