Test directory: Chlamydia trachomatis Culture

Ordering Code 4183
Test Name Chlamydia trachomatis Culture
Preferred Specimen Swab
Preferred Container Endocervical swab, Urethral swab, Rectal mucosa swab (without feces), Fresh (unfixed) Tissue or 3 mL Pelvic
Washing in V-C-M medium (green cap) tube or equivalent
Other Specimen/Container Vaginal swab of children <12 and Women with hysterectomy,
Seminal fluid, Peritoneal fluid
Optimum Volume 1 mL
Handling Instructions To maintain optimum viability, place swab or fluid into
V-C-M (equal volumes of fluid and V-C-M) or equivalent and transport the specimen to the laboratory as soon as possible. Best recovery is obtained when the specimens are refrigerated at 2-8 degree C or kept on wet ice following collection and while in transit. If there will be a long delay before processing, specimens in V-C-M or equivalent should be frozen at -70 degree C or colder and transported on dry ice.
Transport Requirements Oahu: Refrigerated
Airline: Frozen
Frozen -70 degree C (dry ice)
Specimen Stability Ambient: Not Stable
Refrigerated: 2 Days
Frozen: 30 Days
Rejection Criteria Respiratory specimens, Eye (conjunctival) specimens,
Specimens submitted in Viral Transport Media that do not support Chlamydia, Wooden shaft and calcium alginate swabs, dry swabs, Transwabs or swabs in bacterial gel-based transport media, DNA probe transport, Tissues in formalin or other fixatives, Transports for antigen detection by EIA, received room temperature or frozen at -20 degree C
Avail. Stat NO
Methodology Centrifugation-Enhanced Culture with Monoclonal
Antibody Detection
Reference Lab  Quest Diagnostics Infectious Disease

Reference range(s)

The reference ranges listed below are valid on this date of June 1, 2025.
Component Age Male Norm Male Critical Low Male Critical High Female Norm Female Critical High Female Critical Low Units Add'l info
Chlamydia trachomatis Culture ALL See report.
Source ALL See report.