Catheter tip culture (Calgary/South)
- Test Name:
- Catheter tip culture (Calgary/South)
- Preferred Body Source(s):
-
Catheter tip/line.
- Body Source(s):
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Catheter tip - intravenous
Catheter, arterial line
Catheter, Broviac
Catheter, central venous
Catheter, hemodialysis
Catheter, other/line
Catheter, Port-A-Cath
Catheter, pulmonary artery
Catheter, subclavian
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Clinical Prerequisite(s):
-
Provision of relevant, clinical information is important to ensure a clinically relevant result
Always provide/report:
• specimen source - anatomical site and specimen type
• current antibiotic therapy and start date
• clinical history - symptoms and signs and their duration
• How long has the catheter been in situ?
Notes:- Catheter tip cultures should be performed when a catheter is removed for suspected catheter-related bloodstream infection - catheter cultures should not be obtained routinely
- If systemic symptoms/signs are present, eg., fevers, chills, rigors, it is advisable to send 2 sets of blood cultures
- Take the first set through the catheter before it is removed
- Take the second set from a peripheral site
- Collection Device/Tube Type:
-
Sterile container
- Comments:
-
- Clean around the catheter insertion site with 70% isopropanol prior to removal
- Collect distal 2-3 cm of the line tip and place it in a sterile container
- Handling and Storage:
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Room temperature
- Rejection Criteria:
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- Mislabelled or unlabelled specimen or requisition
- Non-sterile container
- Non-intravascular tips including large drainage tube tips, Tenckhoff catheter tips and urine catheter tips are NOT acceptable
- Turnaround Times
- See Microbiology Information»
- Comments:
-
Catheter tips are cultured aerobically only. Gram stain is not performed
- Last Reviewed:
- 06 May 2023
