| Ordering Code | 621 |
|---|---|
| Test Name | Anaerobic Culture |
| Alias | Anaerobic Culture, Abscess Anaerobic Culture, Wound Abscess Culture, Anaerobic Culture, Anaerobic Anaerobic Culture, Body Fluid Anaerobic Culture, Tissue Culture |
| Preferred Specimen | Body Fluid (except CSF), Aspirates, surgically obtained specimens (biopsies, surgical implant-related specimens, soft tissue, bone, etc.), deep wounds (e.g. debridement), bladder urine from suprapubic aspirates, genital specimens from these sites only: Intrauterine devices, cul de sac aspiration, culdocentesis |
| Preferred Container | Body Fluid and Aspirates: Capped syringe, with needle removed and air expelled. Body sites: Eswab |
| Other Specimen/Container | Swabs from other body sites in anaerobic transport media, Body Fluid and Aspirates in capped syringe, with air expelled and needle removed. |
| Optimum Volume | Aspirates: 3 mL Sterile Body Fluids (Pleural Fld., etc.): 5 mL Tissue: 1 gm Any Body Site Swab: 2 Swabs |
| Collection Instructions | Specimen site must be from areas without normal anaerobic flora. Collect aseptically. Indicate specimen source on the requisition. |
| Handling Instructions | Specimen must be placed immediately in anaerobic transport or anaerobic conditions. If sending specimen in syringe, expel the air, remove the needle and cap syringe securely. |
| Transport Requirements | Oahu: Ambient Airline: Ambient |
| Specimen Stability | Ambient: 2 Days Anaerobic condition must be maintained. |
| Rejection Criteria | Specimen older than stability limits, Inappropriate site for anaerobic culture (e.g. superficial wounds, external ear, external eye, oral and nasal cavities, throat, nasopharyngeal, sputum, vaginal and cervical, stool and rectal swabs, urine-voided or catheter), Non-anaerobic conditions, Refrigerated, Frozen, syringe with needle attached Note: specimens with rejection concerns that cannot be recollected (e.g. surgical tissue) will be processed upon receipt and the ordering physician consulted. CSF is not recommended for anaerobic cultures; anaerobes may be present only when a meningeal abscess or similar infectious process is adjacent to the meninges. In this case, an abscess aspirate is recommended Must be ordered with one of the aerobic cultures - abscess culture, aspirate culture, wound culture or body fluid culture. |
| Avail. Stat | NO |
| Analytic Time | Up to 4 Days Preliminary culture results reported at 48 hours. If culture grows, additional time is needed for identification. |
| Methodology | Visual examination for bacterial growth on selective and non-selective media. |
