Culture, Stool

Laboratory Fee Schedule
Procedure #:  MAA0017Z
CPT:  87045, 87046, 87075, 87076

Synonym(s): Enteric pathogen identification, isolation
Requisition Form G-2B
Test Description Enteric pathogen identification and isolation from clinical specimens
Pre-Approval Needed N/A
Supplemental Information Required N/A
Supplemental Form(s) N/A
Performed on Specimens from (sources) Human
Sample/Specimen Type for Testing

Stool/fecal specimens

Minimum Volume/Size Required

1ml

Storage/Preservation Prior to Shipping
  • Collect raw stool
  • Keep cold (unless if for Vibrio store at room temp) or freeze immediately at -70˚C
  • Place stool in transport medium:  Follow manufacturer’s instructions for storage and shipping
  • If delays are expected, transport media may be refrigerated (unless if for Vibrio store at room temp) or frozen at -70˚C 
Transport Medium

Cary Blair, GN Broth, etc. (For specimens in which a culture independent diagnostic test (CIDT) was positive, and isolation is not performed, please send the original material that yielded the positive result.)

Specimen Labeling
  • Two patient-specific identifiers required (e.g., patient full name, date of birth, Medical record number)
  • Identifiers on specimen must exactly match submission form
Shipping and Specimen Handling Requirements
  • Ship according to Dangerous Good Regulations, IATA, and/or CFR 49.  
  • Ship specimens overnight Monday-Thursday to avoid weekend deliveries. 
  • Ship refrigerated specimens on cold pack.
  • Ship frozen specimens on dry ice.
Method Bacterial culture
Turn-around Time 3-21 days
Interferences/Limitations
  • Material must be viable. Improper storage or shipping temperatures limit organism recovery.
  • In the event of an outbreak, the procedure may be modified to screen for an additional set of organisms.
  • Where a specific agent of an outbreak has been previously identified and there is a backlog of specimens, the procedure may be modified to screen only for a specified organism.
Common Causes for Rejection
  • Insufficient quantity
  • Unacceptable specimen type or source
  • Improper shipping conditions
  • Expired media or collection container
  • Discrepancies between specimen label and submission form
  • Incomplete or missing submission form.
Additional Information
  • In the interest of public health, specimens will be accepted up to 30 days from the date of collection in an effort to identify the causative agent.  The rate of recovery decreases over time.
  • Specimens with positive CIDT results will be confirmed for the organism for which positive results were obtained.  Please include results with submission.
  • Routine stool culture includes screening for Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., Vibrio sp., Campylobacter sp., Yersinia sp., and shiga-toxin producing E. coli.