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HelpEar Fungal Culture
Infectious
Specimen and Container/Tube
Specimen Type: Swab, tympanic fluid
Preferred Specimen: Transport swab, sterile, sealable, screw-cap container
Other Acceptable specimens: Rubber-capped syringe, anaerobic transport
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
Specimen Collection:
Internal: If eardrum is intact, physician should perform collection by tympanocentesis. Cleanse external canal with mild detergent and collect fluid from beyond eardrum.
External: Use moistened swab to remove debris or crust from the ear canal. Firmly rotate swab in outer canal.
Specimen Transport: Immediate, no refrigeration.
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.
Rejection Criteria
- Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, incorrect collection container, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits.
- Specimens collected in preservatives will be rejected.
Reference Values
|
Test |
Age |
Sex |
Reference Range |
|
Culture |
All |
All |
Negative |
Turnaround Time
Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory.
STAT Turnaround Time: not available
Routine Turnaround Time: up to 4 weeks
Testing Schedule: Monday - Sunday
Clinical Indications
- Aid in the diagnosis of fungal infections.
CPT Codes
87102
LOINC Codes
30687102
Methodology
Conventional fungal culture method
Synonyms/Keyword Search
Fungal Culture, EAR CX/F, CX, CX/F, CULTURE
Last Review Date
11/12/2025