Microbiology

General Labs | Microbiology

Microbiological tests determine the presence of microbial contaminants in different sample types. Traditional diagnostic methods such as culture and sensitivity combined with multiplex molecular assays provide rapid and sensitive diagnostic results.

For any questions regarding the tests offered or how to order, please contact us here.

Search for panels using CPT code or keyword. Scroll table horizontally to view all panel data.

CPT CODE	Panel/Test	Patient Preparation	Collection Info	Specimen Type	Unacceptable Conditions	Volume – Preferred	Volume – Minimum	Storage	Stability	Methodology	Critical/Panic Value	Reference Values:	Comments
87086	Routine Culture	N/A	Clean catch mid-stream collection. First morning specimens yield highest bacterial counts from overnight incubation in the bladder, and are the best specimens. Read Patient Preparation.	Urine	Unrefrigerated, unpreserved specimen greater than two hours old; unlabeled specimen or name discrepancy between specimen and request label; specimen in expired transport container; specimen received after prolonged delay (usually more than 48 hours for urine); specimen collected from a Foley catheter bag; specimen in nonsterile or leaking container	10 mL	4mL	Preserved: Room temperature for 48 hours Unpreserved: Refrigerated for 24 hours	48 hours	Culture	N/A	N/A	(none)
87040	Blood Culture	The major difficulty in interpretation of blood cultures is potential contamination by skin flora. This difficulty can be markedly reduced by careful attention to the details of skin preparation and antisepsis prior to collection of the specimen. Skin preparation: First cleanse the venipuncture site with isopropanol. Then use an antiseptic swabstick to disinfect the site, using progressively larger concentric circles. This prepping agent should remain in contact with the skin for 30 seconds and be allowed to dry to ensure adequate disinfection. The venipuncture site must not be palpated after preparation. Blood is then safely drawn.	Use adult or pediatric blood culture collection kits provided by KCL. See the Procedural Chart for Blood Culture Collection provided in each collection kit for detailed information regarding bottle preparation, venipuncture, and bottle inoculation. Blood cultures should be drawn prior to initiation of antimicrobial therapy. The time of collection must be indicated. Strict aseptic technique is essential. If more than one culture is ordered, the specimens should be drawn separately at no less than 30 minutes apart to rule out the possibility of transient bacteremia due to self-manipulation by the patient of mucous membranes in the mouth caused by brushing teeth, etc, or by local irritations caused by scratching of the skin.	Whole Blood	Unlabeled specimen or name discrepancy between specimen and request label; bottles received broken; blood culture bottles received after a prolonged delay (usually more than 72 hours); blood not received in blood culture bottles; expired blood culture bottle	Adult: 16 to 20 mL total; 8 to 10 mL per aerobic and anaerobic bottle. Pediatric: up to 4 mL in one pediatric bottle; as age increases so should the volume of blood collected. Do not add more than 10 mL of blood to either the aerobic or anaerobic bottles, or more than 4 mL of blood to a pediatric abottle. The aerobic bottle has no minimum volume requirement.		Maintain specimen at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.	72 hours	Culture	N/A	N/A	The test request form must state clinical diagnosis and time of collection. List current antibiotic therapy, clinical diagnosis, and any special organisms suspected or to rule out. Must indicate if culture is for Brucella or Francisella. Do not use expired blood culture media.
0107U	C. Difficile Culture only	N/A	Use Sterile screw-cap container or stool transport (Para-Pak® white clean vial), no preservative.	Stool	Specimens from patients less than two years of age; inappropriate specimen transport conditions (eg, room temperature) or transport device; unlabeled specimen or name discrepancy between specimen and request label; specimen received after prolonged delay (usually more than 72 hours); specimens other than stool; leaking specimen; specimen received in denture cup, “Cool Whip” container, margarine container, or similar container	5g	0.5 g or 0.5 mL liquid Stool	Specimen should be kept refrigerated and transported to the laboratory within 24 hours of collection. If a longer period is required, the specimen should be frozen at -20°C or lower.	72 hours	Immunoassay	N/A	N/A	(none)
87999	Environmental Culture	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	(none)
87045, 87046, 87427	Stool Pathogen Panel	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	(none)
87070	Throat Culture, Beta-Strep only	N/A	Both tonsillar pillars and the oropharynx should be swabbed. Do not allow the swab to touch the tongue. Using bacterial swab transport containing Amies gel (preferred) or double dry Dacron swab	Material from posterior pharynx, tonsils, or other inflamed area	Unlabeled specimen or name discrepancy between specimen and request label; inappropriate specimen transport device; leaking specimen; specimen received after prolonged delay (usually more than 48 hours); expired transport	One or two swabs	N/A	Maintain specimen at room temperature.	48 hours	Culture	N/A	N/A	(none)
87070	Wound, Superficial, Aerobic	N/A	Disinfect contiguous areas of skin or mucous membrane containing resident normal flora prior to culture collection. Collect exudates from the interior of productive lesions. Tissue samples must be kept moist.	Swab from the wound tissue area	Improper labeling; specimen received in grossly leaking transport container; specimen received in expired transport media; specimen received after prolonged delay (usually more than 48 hours)	One or two swabs	N/A	Maintain specimen at room temperature.	48 hours	Culture	N/A	N/A	(none)
87070, 87075	Wound, Deep, Aerobic & Anaerobic	Sterile preparation of the aspiration site is imperative.	Some anaerobes will be killed by contact with molecular oxygen for only a few seconds. Overlying and adjacent areas must be carefully disinfected to eliminate contamination with indigenous flora. Ideally, pus or other fluid obtained by needle aspiration through intact skin or mucosal surface that has been cleaned with antiseptic should be collected. Sampling of open lesions is enhanced by deep aspiration using a sterile plastic catheter. Curettings of the base of an open lesion are optimal. If irrigation is necessary, nonbacteriostatic sterile normal saline may be used. Lower respiratory samples must be obtained by transtracheal percutaneous needle aspiration, transbronchial biopsy, transthoracic needle biopsy, or open lung biopsy by physicians trained in these procedures. If swabs must be used, collect two, use one for Gram stain and one for culture. Anaerobic transports must be used for swabs and for aspirates. Specimens are to be collected from a prepared site using sterile technique. Contamination with normal flora from skin, rectum, vaginal tract, or other body surfaces must be avoided.	Pus, tissue, or other material properly obtained from an abscess, biopsy, aspirate, drainage, exudate, lesion, or wound. To ensure proper growth of organisms, place swabs/specimen in anaerobic transporter. Do not refrigerate.	Unlabeled specimen or name discrepancy between specimen and test request label; specimen not received in appropriate anaerobic transport tube; swab not in gel transport medium or ESwab™ transport; swab not stored in oxygen-free atmosphere; specimen refrigerated; specimen received after prolonged delay in transport (usually more than 48 hours). Note: Refrigeration inhibits viability of certain anaerobic organisms. Specimens from sites that have anaerobic bacteria as indigenous flora will not be cultured anaerobically (eg, throat, feces, colostomy stoma, rectal swabs, bronchial washes, cervical-vaginal mucosal swabs, sputa, skin and superficial wounds, voided or catheterized urine, ulcer surfaces, drainages onto contaminated surfaces).	Swab in anaerobic transporter or ESwab™ transport, 0.5 mL pus, or other fluid or tissue from aspirated site in anaerobic transporter	N/A	Specimens for anaerobic culture should be maintained at room temperature. Under these conditions, aerobes and anaerobes will survive 24 to 72 hours when properly collected in the anaerobic transport tube. Storage of specimens in the ESwab™ transport at room temperature for greater than 48 hours may result in diminished recovery of certain anaerobic species.	48 hours	Culture	N/A	N/A	(none)
86684	Influenzae A&B	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	(none)
87631	Influenzae A&B, with RSV	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	(none)
87420	RSV	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	(none)

SST = Serum Separator Tube
PST = Plasma Seperator Tube

Microbiology

General Diagnostics

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