4.5.3 Culture media, conditions and organisms Clinical Specimen Standard Incubation Cultures Target details/ media read organism(s) Temp Atmos Time conditions °C Meningitis CSF Chocolate agar 35 - 37 5 - 40-48hr 10% Post CO2 neurosurgery Blood agar 35 - 37 5 - 40-48hr daily Reservoirs Any organism 10% Ventriculitis CO2 For these situations, add the following: Clinical Specimen Supplementary Incubation Cultures Target details/ media read organism(s) Temp Atmos Time conditions °C CSF Sabouraud 35 - 37 air 14d* 40hr: Fungi patients plate Brain abscess CSF Fastidious 35-37 10d 5d 40hr, anaerobe agar and at 10 Ventriculitis days if you have an Reservoirs anaerobic Post cabinet neurosurgery otherwise at 10days. Post otitis with Anaerobes complications If mixed CSF Neomycin 35-37 10d 5d 40hr, infection fastidious and at 10 suggested by anaerobe agar days if you Gram stained have an film anaerobic cabinet otherwise at 10 days * If longer culture times are likely to be required a sabouraud slope should be put up in addition to the plate. Enrichment broths may add value when diagnosing shunt infections (see page 18). Other organisms for consideration - Mycobacterium species and parasites as described in supplementary testing, T. pallidum and viruses can be in relevant SMIs. 4.6 Identification Refer to individual SMIs for organism identification. 4.6.1 Minimum level of identification in the laboratory
4.5.3 Culture media, conditions and organisms Clinical details/ conditions Specimen Standard media Incubation Cultures read Target organism(s) Temp °C Atmos Time Meningitis Post neurosurgery Reservoirs Ventriculitis CSF Chocolate agar 35 - 37 5 - 10% CO2 40-48hr Any organism Blood agar 35 - 37 5 - 10% CO2 40-48hr daily For these situations, add the following: Clinical details/ conditions Specimen Supplementary media Incubation Cultures read Target organism(s) Temp °C Atmos Time patients CSF Sabouraud plate 35 - 37 air 14d* 40hr: Fungi Brain abscess Ventriculitis Reservoirs Post neurosurgery Post otitis with complications CSF Fastidious anaerobe agar 35-37 10d 40hr, 5d and at 10 days if you have an anaerobic cabinet otherwise at 10days. Anaerobes If mixed infection suggested by Gram stained film CSF Neomycin fastidious anaerobe agar 35-37 10d 40hr, 5d and at 10 days if you have an anaerobic cabinet otherwise at 10 days * If longer culture times are likely to be required a sabouraud slope should be put up in addition to the plate. Enrichment broths may add value when diagnosing shunt infections (see page 18). Other organisms for consideration - Mycobacterium species and parasites as described in supplementary testing, T. pallidum and viruses can be in relevant SMIs. 4.6 Identification Refer to individual SMIs for organism identification. 4.6.1 Minimum level of identification in the laboratory