Sample Investigation Test Container TAT Limitations (Volume) Requests must be Clotted blood Vacutainer discussed with the Antibiotic Levels Antibiotic Assay 3 days no (2-6mls) (red-top) Consultant Microbiologist 4 days, plus 2 Cell count, Gram Ascitic fluid Universal days for cell counts performed yes, by Ascitic Fluid Culture stain & Culture (<20mls) (white top) enrichment on SBP patients only arrangement culture bottles should be 1-5 days, samples should be sent to the Blood Cultures Gram stain & Blood blood culture depending on collected before incubator located (Adults) Culture (5-10mls) set positivity antibiotic treatment in Pathology reception bottles should be 1-5 days, samples should be sent to the Blood Cultures Gram stain & Blood Paediatric blood depending on collected before incubator located (Children) Culture (<4mls) culture bottle positivity antibiotic treatment in Pathology reception not performed on formed stools; not Faeces Universal with spoon C. difficile Toxin Detection 1 day performed if a positive no (<20mls) (blue top) result within previous 28 days 2 hrs for Corneal Scrape Gram stain & Direct inoculation microscopy requires good amount yes, by Corneal scrape Culture Culture onto plates and slide 2-5 days for of cellular material arrangement culture 2 hrs for 3 sterile universal cell counts cannot be Cell count, Gram CSF microscopy yes, by CSF Culture containers (white performed on clotted stain & Culture (1-2mls) 2 days for arrangement top), labelled 1,2,3 samples culture
Investigation Test Sample (Volume) Container TAT Limitations Antibiotic Levels Antibiotic Assay Clotted blood (2-6mls) Vacutainer (red-top) 3 days Requests must be discussed with the Consultant Microbiologist no Ascitic Fluid Culture Cell count, Gram stain & Culture Ascitic fluid (<20mls) Universal (white top) 4 days, plus 2 days for enrichment culture cell counts performed on SBP patients only yes, by arrangement Blood Cultures (Adults) Gram stain & Culture Blood (5-10mls) blood culture set 1-5 days, depending on positivity samples should be collected before antibiotic treatment bottles should be sent to the incubator located in Pathology reception Blood Cultures (Children) Gram stain & Culture Blood (<4mls) Paediatric blood culture bottle 1-5 days, depending on positivity samples should be collected before antibiotic treatment bottles should be sent to the incubator located in Pathology reception C. difficile Toxin Detection Faeces (<20mls) Universal with spoon (blue top) 1 day not performed on formed stools; not performed if a positive result within previous 28 days no Corneal Scrape Culture Gram stain & Culture Corneal scrape Direct inoculation onto plates and slide 2 hrs for microscopy 2-5 days for culture requires good amount of cellular material yes, by arrangement CSF Culture Cell count, Gram stain & Culture CSF (1-2mls) 3 sterile universal containers (white top), labelled 1,2,3 2 hrs for microscopy 2 days for culture cell counts cannot be performed on clotted samples yes, by arrangement