| Blood Culture (088-0431) | |
|---|---|
| Test Mnemonic: | C BLDN - Blood Culture Screen |
| Specimen Requirements: | 8-10 mL fill is optimal for Aerobic and Anaerobic bottles. 1-3 mL fill is optimal for a Pedi bottle. |
| Test Included: | Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and yeast, organism identification and antimicrobial susceptibility, if appropriate |
| Collection: | Do not touch phlebotomy site after cleansing to prevent false positive culture growth. Use a syringe or butterfly to collect 15-20 mL of blood. Pediatric patients, collect 1-3 mL of blood, depending on the weight of the patient. Inject blood into the alcohol-cleaned aerobic and anaerobic blood culture bottles. |
| Container: | Bactec Bottles - Plus Aerobic/F (blue/gray cap) and Lytic/10 Anaerobic/F (pink/purple cap) or Peds Plus /F (silver/pink cap) |
| Minimum Volume: | 15-20 mL of whole blood evenly divided into two blood culture bottles (aerobic and anaerobic). If the patient is a difficult draw or a small volume of blood is available, inoculate one Pedi bottle with 1-3 mL. |
| Storage/Transport: | Room temperature. Do not refrigerate. Do not put blood culture bottles in pneumatic tube system. Transport to laboratory immediately. |
| Specimen Preparation: | Inject blood into the alcohol-cleaned aerobic and anaerobic blood culture vials. Inject 8-10 mL into the aerobic bottle; inject 8-10 mL into the anaerobic bottle. If a pedi bottle is used, inject it with 1-3 mL of blood. |
| Stability: | As soon as possible; 48 hours |
| Causes for Rejection: | Refrigerated bottles, submission of vials other than BACTEC bottles, specimen container unlabeled or labeled incorrectly, no date and time of collection on specimen or missing collector information on order. |
| Reference Range: | No growth |
| Turnaround Time: | Cultures are held 5 days |
| Methodology: | BACTEC FX - continuous monitoring instrument, then culture, if necessary. |
| Performed: | Clinical Microbiology |
| Synonyms: | Culture, blood; Bacterial blood culture; Brucella blood culture |
| Clinical Indication: | Suspected bloodstream infection with aerobic, anaerobic bacteria or yeast |
| Patient Preparation : |
After locating a vein, cleanse the venipuncture site thoroughly with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Mark the BACTEC vial to the desired fill level.
An 8 - 10 mL fill is optimal.
After performing venipuncture, select Aerobic bottle (blue top) first, hold upright and collect to level marked on vial. Once filled, remove bottle and immediately fill the second, Anaerobic bottle (purple top), to level marked. A second blood culture set should be collected from a separate venipuncture site or from initial site after waiting a minimum of 15 minutes between draws. |
| CPT 4 Code: | 87040, additional if indicated
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| Note: | Collect specimens using aseptic technique since contamination may lead to false positive results. Collect two sets of cultures per febrile episode. Positive culture results are considered a critical value and notification will be performed upon recognition of the positive result. DO NOT COVER THE BOTTLE BAR CODE LABEL. Prior to use, inspect each bottle for evidence of contamination, damage or deterioration. Store Bactec bottles in a cool , dry place - out of direct sunlight. |
| When ordering tests for which Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement will be sought, physicians should only order tests that are medically necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of the patient. Components of the organ or disease panels may be ordered individually. The diagnostic information must substantiate all tests ordered and must be in the form of an ICD-10 code or its verbal equivalent. | |