Test Overview
Culture
Isolate and identify potentially pathogenic organisms
No potential pathogens isolated
* Reference ranges may change over time. Please refer to the original patient report when evaluating results.
If the culture grows 3 or more significant organisms, no further identification or susceptibilities will be done except on: Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin resistant Enterococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumanii complex, Group A Beta Streptococcus and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Presence of normal skin flora will be reported. Normal skin flora includes the following: coagulase negative Staphylococcus (unless predominant), alpha or gamma streptococci, Neisseria sp (not N. meningitidis or N. gonorrhoeae), Bacillus sp (not B. cereus or B. anthracis), Micrococcus and diphtheroid/lactobacillus.
Test Details
Preliminary results are reported in 18-24 hours. Negative cultures are reported after 3 days.
- Abscess, Routine Culture
- Wound Culture, Aerobic
- Cellulitis Aspirate, Routine Culture
- Culture, Wound, Aerobic
- Ear, Routine Culture
- Pus, Routine Culture
- Routine Culture, Wound
- Skin, Routine Culture
- Umbilical Cord, Routine Culture
Specimen Requirements
Collect pus, exudate from wound, abscess, cellulitis aspirate, ear, skin, urethra or umbilical cord. Avoid contamination with normal flora from skin, rectum, vagina or other body surfaces. For optimum recovery, send immediately. If specimen must be stored, refrigerate immediately after specimen collection. Male patients: Using small swab gently scrape the anterior urethral mucosa or urethral discharge
Refrigerated: Up to 12 hours
Frozen: No
Additional Information
Test includes culture and Gram stain smear if sufficient specimen is received. Test includes susceptibility testing of potentially pathogenic organism(s) at an additional charge unless specifically declined. If anaerobes are suspected, submit a properly collected specimen for anaerobic culture.