Aerobic Wound Culture
Overview
Aerobic Wound Culture
| Test Name: | In vitro test for the quantitative determination of aerobic wound culture with gram stain. |
| Method Name: | Culture and Sensitivity with Gram stain |
| Platform: | Bruker MALDI-TOF; BD Phoenix |
| Reference Ranges: | No growth, Normal Skin Microbiota; Identification of probable pathogens. |
| Clinical Significance: | A wide variety of microorganisms that reside on the skin and mucous membranes of the body, as well as those found in the environment, can cause skin and soft tissue infections. These organisms enter the body through breaks in the skin or mucous membranes, through wounds made by trauma or bites (exogenous), or as a complication of surgery or foreign-body implants (endogenous), or they can be spread to the tissues through the vascular system (hematogenous). Superficial wounds and abscess specimens usually grow primary pathogens causing skin and soft tissue infections. |
| Submission Criteria: | Specimen source must be included on the specimen label as well as date and time of collection. Specimen must arrive within 48 hours of collection. Preferably collect specimen prior to institution of therapy. Swab/Container: ESwab with ESwab transport medium (Amies Buffer) Storage and Stability: Specimen Stability at 20-25°C Stability at 2-8°C Stability at <-20°C Collection Media Room Temp. Refrigerated Temp. Frozen ESwab (Amies Buffer) 48 Hours 48 Hours Unacceptable |
| Rejection Criteria: | Rejection criteria include but are not limited to: 1. Specimens submitted with mismatched, incorrect, or blank requisition forms. 2. Leaking specimens. 3. Substandard mixing or collection. 4. Expired or improperly stored collection tubes 5. Improperly filled tubes based on collection tube manufacture’s guidelines. 6. Specimens which arrive at the lab past the 48-hour mark 7. Specimens submitted without a signed patient consent for treatment prior to specimen collection. 8. Samples not shipped or stored at appropriate temperature. 9. Samples without two proper identifiers or samples having identifiers that do not match the electronic or paper lab requisition. |
| Authorization: | Diagnostic testing can only be performed with approval from an authorized provider/agency. |
| Turn Around Time: | 2-3 Business Days. Test may be delayed if repeat testing or send out testing is required. |
Speciman
Clinical & Interpretive
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