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Test Code BDC Culture,Blood, Bacterial and Fungal

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Whole blood

Preferred Specimen: Blood Culture Bottles

Other Acceptable specimens: not applicable 

Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions

UCMC Onsite Instructions: Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately.

UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions: Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. Specimens must be received within 24 hours.

Rejection Criteria

  • Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits. 
  • Frozen or refrigerated specimens will be rejected
  • Specimen in incorrect specimen collection container will be rejected.

Reference Values

Analyte

Age

Sex

Reference Range

blood culture

 All

Male and female

Negative

Critical Values

Analyte

Unit

Low

High

Age

Blood Culture

 

 

 

All

Turnaround Time

Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory. 

 

STAT Turnaround Time: not avialable

 

Routine Turnaround Time: 5 - 6 days

 

Testing Schedule: 24/7

CPT Codes

87040

LOINC Codes

600-7

Volume

Preferred Volume: 8-10 mL

Minimum Volume: 1-3 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room temperature

(20 - 25°C)

 24 hours 

Refrigerated

(2 - 10°C)

 not acceptable 

Frozen

(-20°C)

not acceptable

Collection Instructions

Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures. Skin decontamination with Chloraprep.

Pinch wings of the applicator to break the ampule inside. Wet sponge by repeatedly pressing and releasing sponge against venipuncture site. Scrub venipuncture site continuously for 30 seconds using a back and forth motion. Allow the site to air dry for 30 seconds. DO NOT blot or dry. To prepare the bottle, remove the plastic cap from the top of the bottles and cleanse with 70% alcohol. Remove any surplus disinfectant with sterile gauze before injection of blood into the bottle.

If Malassezia furfur is suspected, submit 3-5 mL blood in Vacutainer SPS (Sodium polyanethol sulfonate) tube, oracle# 100473 in addition to Bactec bottles as listed below.  Contact Clinical Microbiology laboratory at 2-6133 or General Stores at 2-2900 for vacutainer SPS tubes

 

Test Components

Blood culture results

Clinical Indications

  • Screening test for various diseases
  • Useful in the diagnosis of disease states such as anemias, leukemias, allergic reactions, viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections. 

Methodology

Bactec FX40 Automated culture method

Synonyms/Search Keywords

Blood Culture

Last Reviewed Date

02/09/2022

Additional Information

Specimen Volume and Container:

  • Neonates ( < 30 days old or weighing <5kg): Inoculate Peds Plus bottle (pink label) only with 0.5 – 3 mL blood.

  • > Neonates to < 2 yrs: Inoculate Peds Plus bottle (pink label) only with 1 – 3 mL blood.
  • 2 yr - < 10 yrs: Inoculate Peds Plus bottle (pink label) with 2 – 3 mL blood and Lytic/10 Anaerobic bottle  purple label) with 3 – 8 mL blood.
  • 11 yrs or older: Inoculate Aerobic Plus bottle (gray label) with 8 – 10 mL blood and Lytic/10 Anaerobic bottle (purple label) with 8-10 mL blood.