Body Fluid Culture: Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacterial Culture and Gram Stain

Casandra

Casandra Test Code LC24115Version 1 (DRAFT)

Performing Lab

Lab LabcorpLab Test ID 183473CPT Codes 87070, 87075, 87205

Body Fluid Culture: Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacterial Culture and Gram Stain

Also known as: Culture, Body Fluid, Sterile, Routine, Sterile Body Fluid Culture

Clinical Use

Order Test

Use

Isolate and identify pathogenic organisms from normally sterile body fluids. Anaerobic culture is held for 14 days.

Special Instructions

Indicate the specific source and pertinent clinical history on the request form. Ensure not to use expired transport devices. Proper aseptic techniques need to be followed to avoid contamination with normal flora from skin, rectum, vaginal tract, or other body surfaces.

Limitations

Contamination with normal flora can lead to false-positive results, and improper labeling or use of red-top Vacutainer tubes can cause specimen rejection. Swabs without visible fluid are also not acceptable, which can limit the test's effectiveness in certain cases.

Test Details

Methodology

Culture-based

Biomarkers

Unknown microorganism

Microorganism

Organism presence/absence • Other • Binary (Detected / Not Detected)

LOINC Codes

Result Codes

664-3
635-3
611-4

Result Turnaround Time

14-17 days

Specimen

Body Fluid

Volume

2 mL

Minimum Volume

2 mL

Container

Sterile tube or other sterile leak-proof container, blood culture bottle, Vacutainer™ Plus no Additive tube; sodium heparin tube, and swabs with visible fluid.

Collection Instructions

Contamination with normal flora from skin, rectum, vaginal tract, or other body surfaces should be avoided.

Patient Preparation

Swab skin over the site of puncture with 2% tincture of iodine in concentric circles. Note: Iodine should remain in contact with skin for at least one minute prior to puncture to ensure complete antisepsis. Following puncture, 70% alcohol is used to remove iodine from skin.

Storage Instructions

Maintain specimen at room temperature. Specimens for anaerobic culture should be maintained at room temperature. Anaerobes will survive 24 to 72 hours when properly collected in the anaerobic transport tube.