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Time Sensitive

Ordering Recommendation

Use to identify bacteria in wounds. Anaerobe culture is recommended for body fluids, tissue, and deep wound/surgical cultures; refer to Anaerobe Culture (0060143).

New York DOH Approval Status

This test is New York state approved.

Specimen Required

Patient Preparation
Collect

Aspirate, purulent material or swab.

Specimen Preparation

Aspirate fluid: Transfer to a sterile container.
Purulent Material: Transfer to a sterile tube or anaerobe transport media.
Swab: Place in Eswab transport media (ARUP Supply #45877) available online through eSupply using ARUP Connect™ or contact ARUP Client Services at (800) 522-
2787.

Storage/Transport Temperature

Room temperature.

Unacceptable Conditions

Syringes with needle attached. Dry swabs.

Remarks

Refrigerated specimens are not recommended for recovery of some fastidious organisms such as Neisseria spp.

Stability

Sterile Container: Ambient: 24 hours; Refrigerated: Unacceptable; Frozen: Unacceptable 
Eswab:
Ambient: 48 hours; Refrigerated: 48 hours; Frozen: Unacceptable

Methodology

Stain/Culture/Identification

Performed

Sun-Sat

Reported

1-6 days
Negative culture reported at 6 days.  Positive culture reported as soon as detected.

Reference Interval

No growth.
Identification and susceptibility tests are performed on significant isolates.

Interpretive Data



Compliance Category

Standard

Note

Gram stain, identification, and susceptibility tests are billed separately from culture. Anaerobe Culture is NOT included with this order. Anaerobe culture is recommended for body fluids, tissue, and deep wound/surgical cultures. If anaerobe culture is needed, please order Anaerobe culture (ARUP test code 0060143) and use anaerobic collection device for transportation.

Hotline History

N/A

CPT Codes

87070

Components

Component Test Code* Component Chart Name LOINC
0060132 Culture, Wound 632-0
* 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

  • Abscess Culture
  • Aerobic Bacteria Culture
  • Aerobic Culture
  • Bacteria, Aerobic, Culture
  • Culture, Wound
Wound Culture and Gram Stain