Blood Culture (Positive – Referred) Identification and Susceptibility Information Sheet

‌Overview

MDL Test Name

Blood Culture (Positive – Referred) – Identification and Susceptibility

MDL Test Code

POSBLD_CULT

Ask at Order Questions

Gram stain result

Specimen Source

Positive blood culture bottle

‌Specimen Requirements

Container/Tube

• Blood culture bottle(s) that have been flagged positive by the client’s instrumentation.

  AND/OR

• Culture on a suitable agar (solid) medium plate

• NOTE: For clients that are able, plates should be subbed and submitted with the bottle(s) to expedite results.

  Specimen Volume (minimum)

  N/A

  Sample Stability Time

  Stability varies with the organism; STAT delivery is recommended

  Transport/Storage Conditions

  Ambient (20 – 25°C)

  
  

  Patient Preparation / Collection Instructions

  Must be a blood culture bottle(s) that have been flagged positive by the client’s instrumentation, please include the initial gram stain result from the client site.

  
  

  ‌Performance

  Days Performed

  Daily; Monday – Sunday

  Report Available (TAT) – (Once received at MDL)

  1 – 4 days

  Specimen Retention Time

  7 days

  Method Description

• Identification methods may include any of the following: conventional biochemical testing, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and commercial identification panels. Genus and species are reported on anaerobic bacterial isolates whenever possible.

• Susceptibility testing may include minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) (broth microdilution or gradient strip diffusion) or disc diffusion.

  Reference Values

  No growth

  Cautions

• The stability time of isolate in a positive bottle is organism-dependent. The best practice is to subculture positive bottles as soon as possible and/or transport bottle(s) to MDL as soon as possible.

• Certain isolates when only isolated from one culture set can be indicative of contaminants.