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HelpTest Code LAB12019 Blood Culture
Department
MICROBIOLOGY
Collection Requirements
Prepare site with 70% isopropyl alcohol, then povodine iodine & wait 1 minute. Repeat with 70% isopropyl alcohol and allow to dry. BacT/Alert blood culture bottles must be at ambient temperature, remove plastic flip top and disinfect with 70% ispropyl alcohol. Obtain patient sample and change needle before entering the culture bottles. Transfer 1/2 of sample into the anaerobic bottle 1st and then the remaining sample into the aerobic bottle. Adult sample is 10-20 mL (should draw 20 mL). Pediatric bottle is 4.0 mL.
Primary Collection Container
Adult: BactAlert FA Plus (Green) and BactAlert FN Plus (Orange)
Pediatric: BactAlert PF Plus (Yellow)
Transport
Whole blood ambient
Preferred Transport Temperature
Ambient
Processing
None
Stability
Ambient: 12 hours
Minimum Testing Volume
Adult: 5.0 mL per bottle
Pediatric: 1.0 mL per bottle
Reference Range
No Growth
Methodology
BacT/Alert Virtuo Microbial Detection System
Performed
Sunday – Saturday
Reported
6-7 days
CPT Codes
87040 per bottle collected; Gram stain, identification, and susceptability tests are billed separately from culture.
Unacceptable Conditions
Overfilling of culture bottle(s).
Improper de-contamination of the venipuncture site or blood culture vial prior to collection of the specimen.