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Test Code C Stool Culture, Feces/Stool

Important Note

Note: Specimens collected on patients who have been in the hospital for greater than 3 days should not be cultured for enteric pathogens.

Methodology

Culture

Enzyme Immunoassay

Specimen Requirements

Note: As with other cultures, administration of antimicrobial therapy prior to culture may make recovery of pathogens difficult to impossible.

 

1.  Specimen Source is Required.

2.  Refer to the Microbiology Specimen Collection Procedure for collection instructions.

Day(s) Test Set Up

Monday through Sunday

Reference Values

Negative for Aeromonas, Campylobacter, Plesiomonas, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, Yersinia species and Enterohemorrhagic E.coli Shiga Toxin.

 

Note: If positive, Salmonella and Shigella isolates will be sent to the Delaware Public Health Laboratory for serotyping.

Test Classification and CPT Coding

87045

87046

87899

87015

Performing Laboratory

Beebe Healthcare Laboratory

Performing Location

Margaret H. Rollins Laboratory

Specimen Transport Temperature

Refrigerate

Additional Information

Specimens are automatically examined for the following enteric bacterial pathogens:  Aeromonas, Campylobacter, Enterohemorrhagic E.coli, Plesiomonas, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio and Yersinia.

 

Cultures are worked up and reported per standard Microbiology guidelines.  Full organism identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing are performed when appropriate and will incur additional CPT codes and charges.  Pertinent patient history should be communicated directly to the Microbiology Department when necessary (patient travel history, suspect and/or rule out certain pathogens, any unusual circumstances, etc) so that the culture can be worked up appropriately.  If additional workup is required beyond the final culture report, please contact the Microbiology Department at (302)-645-3563 within 5 days to discuss the case with a technologist.