Wound Culture II

783

Abscess/wound specimen, submitted on culture transport swab, safely contained

Intravenous catheter tip, submitted in sterile, leak-proof container

Please specify on the request form the culture site and pertinent history. If positive, an identification and sensitivity will be performed at an additional charge.
Please note: Anaerobes will not be cultured routinely from these sites. Order Test Code 465 for Anaerobic Culture.

Tissue or aspirated fluid (preferred) is superior to a swab specimen. Aspirate if possible or pass a swab deep into the lesion and firmly sample the advancing edge of the lesion. Use transport medium for swab. Transport at room temperature to the laboratory. Refrigerated stability is suboptimal. Refer to qualified personnel for determination of acceptability.

Intravenous Catheter Tips (acceptable): A short distal segment (approximately 2 inches or 5 cm), including the area beneath the skin is aseptically cut off and sent in a sterile container (room temperature or refrigerated) to the Microbiology Laboratory for culture. If possible, collect before antibiotic therapy.

Other catheters, such as Foley (urine) catheters are unacceptable. Catheter tips which arrive in saline or transport medium are unacceptable. Skin swabs from catheter site are unacceptable.

Room temperature

Abscess/wound specimen
Room temperature: 48 hours
Refrigerated: See instructions
Frozen: Unacceptable

IV Tip
Room temperature: 24 hours
Refrigerated: 24 hours
Frozen: Unacceptable

Set up: Daily (all shifts); Report available: 4 days