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HelpTest Code C Blood Blood Culture
Performing Laboratory
| Memorial Hospital -Microbiology Laboratory | 304-388-9353 |
| Plateau Medical Center Laboratory | 304-469-8621 |
| Greenbrier Valley Laboratory | 304-647-6060 |
Test Profile
| Aerobic (Blue) | Anaerobic (Purple) |
Specimen Requirements
| Newborn | Collect 1mL in aerobic bottle |
| 1-5 yrs old | Collect 1-5 mL in aerobic bottle |
| 5-<10 yrs old | Collect 1mL per age in aerobic bottle |
| >10 yrs old | Collect 20 mL of blood- 10mL in an aerobic and 10mL in an anaerobic bottle. If collecting <10 mL, place entire volume in the aerobic bottle. |
The laboratory will be responsible for drawing 2 sets in 24 hours. Any additional set will have to be drawn by the physician or the nurse on the floor.
The laboratory must be notified if fastidious organisms such as Brucella or Francisella are suspected so that blood cultures can be held for 21 days.
Specimen Rejection
- Improperly labeled, collected, stored, and transported
- Quantity not sufficient
- Blood drawn through a vascular shunt or catheter, since these prosthetic devices may harbor colonizing bacteria that are not present in circulating blood of patient; and blood obtained through foreign material would yield false-positive results.
- Blood drawn below an existing intravenous line, if possible, since blood above line will be diluted with fluid being infused.
Reference Values
No growth after 5 days
Critical Result: All positives
Methodology
Culture
Days Test Set Up and Turnaround
Monday through Sunday
CPT Coding
87040