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HelpTest Code FLDC Fluid Culture & Stain
Infectious
Specimen and Container/Tube
Specimen Type: Joint, pleural, peritoneal (abdominal, ascites, paracentesis), peritoneal dialysis, pericardial, cul-de-sac, amniotic fluid
Preferred Specimen: Sterile, sealable, screw-cap container
Volume
Preferred Volume:
Joint and pericardial fluid: 1 mL
All other fluids: 10 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
Specimen Collection: Decontamination of overlying skin and aspiration of fluid.
Specimen Transport: Immediate
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.
- Bile, gastric fluid, and upper small bowel fluid specimens will be rejected
Reference Values
|
Test |
Age |
Sex |
Reference Range |
|
Culture |
All |
All |
No Growth |
| Stain | All | All | No organisms seen |
Turnaround Time
Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory.
STAT Turnaround Time: Stain only - 1 hour
Routine Turnaround Time: 72 hours
Testing Schedule: Monday - Sunday
Clinical Indications
- Aid in the diagnosis of bacterial infections.
CPT Codes
87015, 87205, 87070
LOINC Codes
30687015, 30687205, 31887070
Methodology
Conventional culture on media
Synonyms/Keyword Search
FLUID CX/ST, FLDC, BACTERIAL CULTURE, CULTURE, STERILE BODY FLUID, BODY FLUID CULTURE
Last Review Date
02/06/2026