CDOS

Stool Culture

Test Code: 008144

Performing Lab: LabCorp

CPT Code: 87045 001 87427 001 87046 001

Test Link (Copy)

Synonym

Culture, Stool, Comprehensive; Enteric Pathogens Culture, Routine; Feces Culture, Routine; Routine Culture, Stool

Specimen Type

Stool or rectal swab placed in a stool culture transport vial (ParaPak C&S - Orange)

Specimen Container

Stool culture transport vial is required; diapers are not acceptable. Culture collection swab may be used to collect rectal swabs or a swab of fecal material, then swab should be placed in C&S vial (fecal transport system).

Volume

1 g, 1 mL, or one swab in stool C&S transport vial (the usual bacterial swab transport is NOT acceptable although the swab may be used).

Specimen Handling

A single stool specimen cannot be used to rule out bacteria as a cause of diarrhea. It is recommended that two or three stool specimens, collected on separate days, be submitted to increase the probability of isolating a bacterial pathogen. Hospitalized patients who develop diarrhea while hospitalized and more than 72 hours after admission should be tested for Clostridium difficile by detection of toxin A and/or toxin B. Studies have shown that patients who did not have gastroenteritis or other GI symptoms on admission are unlikely to have diarrheal illness due to Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, or enterohemorrhagic E coli. STOOL: Specimen should be collected in sterile bedpan, not contaminated with urine, residual soap, or disinfectants. Those portions of stool which contain pus, blood, or mucus should be transferred to sterile specimen container. RECTAL SWAB: Pass swab beyond anal sphincter, carefully rotate, and withdraw. Swabbing of lesions of rectal wall or sigmoid colon during proctoscopy or sigmoidoscopy is preferred. DUODENAL or SIGMOID ASPIRATE: Specimen should be collected by a physician trained in this procedure. Stool specimen can be divided for other types of cultures by laboratory. Miscellaneous tests and ova and parasites tests should be split into appropriate containers and transport devices prior to shipping to the laboratory.

Unacceptable Conditions

Specimen received in grossly leaking transport container; diapers; dry specimen; specimen submitted in fixative or additive; specimen received in expired transport media or incorrect transport device; inappropriate specimen transport conditions (not in a C&S vial or in an overfilled C&S vial); specimen received after prolonged delay in transport (usually more than 72 hours); specimen stored or transported frozen; wooden shaft swab in transport device; unlabeled specimen or name discrepancy between specimen and request label

Temperature

Maintain specimen at room temperature.

Methodology

Aerobic culture on selective media; detection of EHEC Shiga-like toxins by enzyme immunoassay (EIA)

Result Code	Result Name	LOINC
008722	Salmonella/Shigella Screen	43371-4
008722	Salmonella/Shigella Screen	43371-4
008722	Salmonella/Shigella Screen	43371-4
008722	Salmonella/Shigella Screen	43371-4
008722	Salmonella/Shigella Screen	43371-4
180141	Campylobacter Culture	6331-3
180141	Campylobacter Culture	6331-3
180141	Campylobacter Culture	6331-3
180141	Campylobacter Culture	6331-3
180141	Campylobacter Culture	6331-3
180935	E coli Shiga Toxin EIA	21262-1

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