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HelpTest Code NASC Nasal Culture
Infectious
Specimen and Container/Tube
Specimen Type: Nose
Preferred Specimen: Transport swab
Specimen Stability
|
Storage Temperature |
Stability |
|
Room temperature (20 - 25°C) |
48 hours |
|
Refrigerated (2 - 10°C) |
not acceptable |
|
Frozen (-20°C) |
not acceptable |
Collection Instructions
Specimen Collection: Insert moist swab about 1 inch (2.5 cm) into nose and gently rotate against nasal mucosa.
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.
- If the specimen source is a nasal wound, nasal abscess or sinus, the culture will be processed as a wound or miscellaneous culture.
Reference Values
|
Test |
Age |
Sex |
Reference Range |
|
Culture |
All |
All |
No Growth/Normal Flora |
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: 72 hours
Testing Schedule: Monday - Sunday
Clinical Indications
- Aid in the detection of Staphylococcus aureus (particularly MRSA) carriage
- This test is not routinely used to diagnose infection
CPT Codes
87081
LOINC Codes
30987081
Methodology
Conventional culture on media
Synonyms/Keyword Search
NASAL CX, BACTERIAL CULTURE, CULTURE
Last Review Date
02/13/2026