Fluid culture, routine (Calgary/South)

Test Name:

Fluid culture, routine (Calgary/South)

Ordering Information:

Body fluid culture

Body Source(s):

Abscess fluid/aspirate
Amniotic/amniocentisis fluid
Bile
Breast milk
Bursa
Fluid - pericardial
Fluid - peritoneal dialysate
Fluid - peritoneal/abdominal/ascites/paracentesis
Fluid - pleural/thoracentesis/empyema
Fluid aspirate - cyst
Fluid, drainage
Fluid, joint - native/bursa/synovial

Clinical Prerequisite(s):

• For Bone Marrow specimens, refer to Bone marrow culture (Calgary/South)
• Collect specimen prior to antimicrobial therapy for greatest diagnostic sensitivity

Provision of relevant clinical information is to ensure a clinically relevant result.

Always provide/record:

· the specimen source

· the current antibiotic therapy, start date, route, and dose

· clinical history - symptoms and start date

· indicate if the specimen is associated with prosthetic material/hardware

· If collected from a drain, indicate:

o the type, eg, biliary tube (T-tube)

o chest tube

o G-tube

o Jackson-Pratt (JP)

o Penrose

o whether the drain was in place for more than 24 hours before collection

Collection Device/Tube Type:

*Preferred: 60 mL sterile, plastic container
10 mL sterile tube
Anaerobic transport system (PRAS or equivalent)

Comments:

Acceptable:
• BacT Alert® vials
• Sterile tube containing SPS

DO NOT submit fluid in a syringe, with or without the needle.
• the needle is a safety hazard
• the specimen can leak

Specimen Requirement(s):

Optimal volume: 15-25 mL
Minimum volume: 1 - 5 mL

DO NOT submit specimens in microbial inhibitory substances such as:
• heparin
• EDTA
• citrate
The results may be unreliable

DO NOT submit tubes/tips - they are not suitable for culture
DO NOT submit leaky specimens - ensure the container is sealed

Collection Instructions:

Collect specimen prior to antimicrobial therapy for greatest diagnostic sensitivity.

Normally sterile body sites:

1. Prior to collection, clean the needle puncture site with alcohol and disinfect using chlorhexidine (preferred) or povidone-iodine/alcohol solution

2. Aseptically perform the aspiration.

3. If collecting into blood culture bottles, clean the bottle septum with 70% isopropyl alcohol

Synovial fluid specimens:

1. Inject 1-2 mL of specimen for culture into sterile or anaerobic transport containers for culture before adding to hematology/chemistry containers containing additives (EDTA, etc.).

2. If sufficient specimen remains (1-3 mL), also inoculate into BacT Pediatric PF Plus blood culture vial

Other normally sterile body sites, add at least 1-3 mL of fluid for gram stain and direct planting in to one of the following:

· Anaerobic transport system (PRAS or equivalent)

· Sterile 10 mL tube

· Sterile 60 mL plastic container (orange top)

· If specimen clotting is likely to occur, use sterile tube containing SPS

· If sufficient volume remains, inoculate specimen into blood culture bottles as follows:

Peritoneal dialysates: A peritoneal effluent bag may be submitted.

1. Ensure bag is not leaking.

2. Place dialysate bag into a large bag and then into a leak-proof container.

Drainage fluid:

1. Aseptically collect a fresh sample of the fluid

2. Place it into a sterile tube or container.

3. Use anaerobic transport system if anaerobic culture is required.

Handling and Storage:

DO NOT refrigerate
Room temperature

Handling/Storage Comments:

Transport to the testing laboratory as soon a possible after collection

Turnaround Times

See Microbiology Information»

Comments:

Whenever possible, fluid specimens should be submitted for culture. Submission of swabs of sterile fluid is strongly discouraged and should only occur if fluid quantity is extremely low

Last Reviewed:

06 May 2023