Clinical Specimen Standard Incubation Cultures Target organism(s) details/ read Temp Atmos Time conditions °C Infection Amniotic Blood agar 35-37 5-10% CO2 40-48hr* daily Any organism suspected in fluid, bursa a normally fluid, Fastidious 35-37 anaerobic 40-48hr* Anaerobes ≥40hr sterile site pericardial anaerobe agar fluid, synovial (joint) fluid, Chocolate agar 35-37 5-10% 40-48hr* Any organism peritoneal fluid CO2 (ascites), pleural fluid If supplemented culture 35-37 air continuous N/A Any organism bottles† are monitoring used then that may replace the need for the plates outlined above, based on local risk assessment. Or anaerobic broth then subcultured to the plates above. For these situations, add the following: Clinical Specimen Supplementary Incubation Cultures Target organism(s) details/ media read Temp Time conditions °C Peritonitis Ascitic fluid Neomycin 35-37 anaerobic 40 48hr* Anaerobes – ≥48hr fastidious Peritoneal anaerobe agar fluid CLED or 35-37 air 16-24hr Enterobacteriaceae ≥16hr MacConkey agar Clinical Specimen Optional media Incubation Cultures Target organism(s) details/ read Temp Time conditions °C If microscopy As Staph/strep 35-37 air 16-24hr S. aureus ≥16hr suggestive of appropriate selective agar β-haemolytic mixed streptococci infection If fungi As Sabouraud or 35-37 air 21 days 10 and 21 Moulds and Yeasts suspected appropriate mycosel agar days clinically Other organisms for consideration (), Chlamydia species, Pneumocystis jirovecii, viruses. –Mycobacterium * plates can be incubated up to 5-7 days if required for example if Nocardia or Actinomyces is suspected. follow manufacturer’s recommendations † 4.6 Identification Refer to individual SMIs for organism identification.
Clinical details/ conditions Specimen Standard Incubation Cultures read Target organism(s) Temp °C Atmos Time Infection suspected in a normally sterile site Amniotic fluid, bursa fluid, pericardial fluid, synovial (joint) fluid, peritoneal fluid (ascites), pleural fluid Blood agar 35-37 5-10% CO2 40-48hr* daily Any organism Fastidious anaerobe agar 35-37 anaerobic 40-48hr* ≥40hr Anaerobes Chocolate agar 35-37 5-10% CO2 40-48hr* Any organism If supplemented culture bottles† are used then that may replace the need for the plates outlined above, based on local risk assessment. Or anaerobic broth then subcultured to the plates above. 35-37 air continuous monitoring N/A Any organism For these situations, add the following: Clinical details/ conditions Specimen Supplementary media Incubation Cultures read Target organism(s) Temp °C Time Peritonitis Ascitic fluid Peritoneal fluid Neomycin fastidious anaerobe agar 35-37 anaerobic 40 – 48hr* ≥48hr Anaerobes CLED or MacConkey agar 35-37 air 16-24hr ≥16hr Enterobacteriaceae Clinical details/ conditions Specimen Optional media Incubation Cultures read Target organism(s) Temp °C Time If microscopy suggestive of mixed infection As appropriate Staph/strep selective agar 35-37 air 16-24hr ≥16hr S. aureus β-haemolytic streptococci If fungi suspected clinically As appropriate Sabouraud or mycosel agar 35-37 air 21 days 10 and 21 days Moulds and Yeasts Other organisms for consideration –Mycobacterium (), Chlamydia species, Pneumocystis jirovecii, viruses. * plates can be incubated up to 5-7 days if required for example if Nocardia or Actinomyces is suspected. † follow manufacturer’s recommendations 4.6 Identification Refer to individual SMIs for organism identification.
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