Ordering Recommendation

Detect Nocardia and other aerobic actinomycetes.

New York DOH Approval Status

This test is New York state approved.

Specimen Required

Patient Preparation
Collect

Aspirate, fluid, respiratory specimen, or tissue.

Specimen Preparation

Fluid: Transfer to a sterile container. Tissue: Place on gauze moistened with sterile non-bacteriostatic saline to prevent drying and transport in sterile container.

Storage/Transport Temperature

Room temperature.

Unacceptable Conditions
Remarks

Identification is by DNA sequencing for most isolates.

Stability

Ambient: 72 hours; Refrigerated: 72 hours; Frozen: Unacceptable

Methodology

Culture

Performed

Sun-Sat

Reported

1-15 days
Negative culture reported at 15 days.  Positive culture reported as soon as detected.

Reference Interval

Culture negative for Nocardia species.

Interpretive Data



Compliance Category

Standard

Note

If positive, identification is billed separately.  For susceptibility testing, order Antimicrobial Susceptibility - Nocardia (0060193).  Susceptibility testing should be performed on all significant Nocardia isolates. Culture also detects other actinomycetes (Streptomyces, Rhodococcus, Gordona, Tsukamurella, etc.). To submit a Nocardia isolate for identification, order Aerobic Organism Identification (ARUP test code 0060115).  To submit a Nocardia isolate for identification AND susceptibility, order Aerobic Organism Identification with Reflex to Susceptibility (ARUP test code 0065070).

Hotline History

N/A

CPT Codes

87070

Components

Component Test Code* Component Chart Name LOINC
0060093 Culture, Nocardia 43365-6
* Component test codes cannot be used to order tests. The information provided here is not sufficient for interface builds; for a complete test mix, please click the sidebar link to access the Interface Map.

Aliases

  • Actinomycetes
  • Culture, Nocardia
  • Nocardia gram-stain and culture
Nocardia Culture and Gram Stain