Ordering Recommendations

Broth Blood Cultures are recommended for the detection of bacteria or yeast in the blood of septic patients

Collect

For All Blood Cultures: Refer to PolicyStat for policies and procedures related to collecting blood cultures: following instructions to aseptically incoluating blood into broth culture bottles.  Site of specimen draw is required (e.g., venipuncture left antecubital, Brown Port, etc.)  Affix patient label onto culture bottles without obscuring level of broth in the bottle.  Note that volume of blood collected for culture is the single most important variable in detecting bacteremia or fungemia in septic patients; larger volumes of blood have been shown to increase the yield of true positive cultures.  The minimum recommended volume of blood per draw for adults is 20 mLs with inoculation of 10 mLs into each culture bottle (i.e., one aerobic and one anaerobic).

The minimum recommended blood volumes for infants and children are as follows: 
Children = 40kg - 20mL blood draw with inoculation of 10 mLs into one aerobic and one anaerobic bottle
Children = 1 year and < 40kg  - 4mL blood draw with inoculation of 2 mLs into one aerobic and one anaerobic bottle
Children < 1 year and > 1kg - 2mL blood draw with inoculation of 1 mL into one aerobic and one anaerobic bottle
Neonates <1kg - 1mL blood draw with inoculation into one aerobic bottle only

For detecting Line-Related Sepsis:  Collect blood from a peripheral venous site as per routine recommendations and inoculate into blood culture bottles.  Also, collect an equal volume of blood from a line port at the same time as the peripheral draw and inoculate into blood culture bottles.  Lable each culture bottle with site of specimen collection and time of collection.

Storage/Transport Temperature

Transport culture bottles immediately at room temperature

Remarks

Recommended for culture of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and yeast, including Cryptococcus, from blood of septic patients.  Contact the Microbiology laboratory for blood culture of unusal organisms including Bartonella, Streptobacillus (Rat-bite Fever), mycobacteria and dimorphic fungi

Stability (from collection to initiation)

Ambient: 24 hours; Refrigerated: Unacceptable; Frozen: Unacceptable

Collection device


Test Barcode Number

28003

Lab Section

Microbiology (Bacteriology)

Methodology

BacT/Alert Virtuo continuous monitoring system. Standard reference procedures for identification of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms

Performed

Sun-Sat

Reported

1 - 5 days

Synonyms

  • Culture, Blood (Blood Culture)

Performing Laboratory Website (click below)

UR Medicine Labs

Notes

Identification and susceptibility tests are billed separately from culture.

Reference Interval

Reference Interval for All Blood Cultures: No Bacterial or Yeast Isolated

Reference Interval for Line-Related Sepsis:  Time-to-Positivity for positive blood cultures is used to compare the time-to-positivity of a peripheral draw versus a line draw.  A line draw with a differential time-to-positivity of >2 hours as compared to a peripheral draw, collected in equal volumes and at the same time, can be an indication of line sepsis.  Refer to SMH Clinical Practice Guidelines and IDSA Guidelines 2009.  The relevance of time-to-positivity for other blood cultures has not been established.

CPT Codes

Culture: 87040

CPT codes vary based on identification and susceptibility methods. Billing reports can be provided as needed.  Please contact your UR Medicine Lab Account Manager for details

Order Type (Individual or Group)

I

Result Test ID

BLD

Reportable?

Y

Result Test Name

BACTERIAL BLOOD CULTURE

Result Type (Individual or Group)

I

Type (Alpha or Numeric)

A

Text

**********REMINDER FOR ERECORD USERS********** SPECIMEN TYPE MUST BE DOCUMENTED ON THE BOTTLES PLACE BARCODE LABELS VERTICALLY ON THE BOTTLES

Micro Source Information

Source ID             Source Name Sites REFLEX TESTS
BLDAA BLOOD:AEROBIC/ANAEROBIC Enter draw site  
BLDAE BLOOD:AEROBIC Enter draw site  
BLDAN BLOOD:ANAAEROBIC Enter draw site  

CPT Codes

Culture: 87040

CPT codes vary based on identification and susceptibility methods. Billing reports can be provided as needed.  Please contact your UR Medicine Lab Account Manager for details

Pricing

Refer to Lab Account Manager. email: labservicesoutreach@urmc.rochester.edu
Specimen Requirements

Ordering Recommendations

Broth Blood Cultures are recommended for the detection of bacteria or yeast in the blood of septic patients

Collect

For All Blood Cultures: Refer to PolicyStat for policies and procedures related to collecting blood cultures: following instructions to aseptically incoluating blood into broth culture bottles.  Site of specimen draw is required (e.g., venipuncture left antecubital, Brown Port, etc.)  Affix patient label onto culture bottles without obscuring level of broth in the bottle.  Note that volume of blood collected for culture is the single most important variable in detecting bacteremia or fungemia in septic patients; larger volumes of blood have been shown to increase the yield of true positive cultures.  The minimum recommended volume of blood per draw for adults is 20 mLs with inoculation of 10 mLs into each culture bottle (i.e., one aerobic and one anaerobic).

The minimum recommended blood volumes for infants and children are as follows: 
Children = 40kg - 20mL blood draw with inoculation of 10 mLs into one aerobic and one anaerobic bottle
Children = 1 year and < 40kg  - 4mL blood draw with inoculation of 2 mLs into one aerobic and one anaerobic bottle
Children < 1 year and > 1kg - 2mL blood draw with inoculation of 1 mL into one aerobic and one anaerobic bottle
Neonates <1kg - 1mL blood draw with inoculation into one aerobic bottle only

For detecting Line-Related Sepsis:  Collect blood from a peripheral venous site as per routine recommendations and inoculate into blood culture bottles.  Also, collect an equal volume of blood from a line port at the same time as the peripheral draw and inoculate into blood culture bottles.  Lable each culture bottle with site of specimen collection and time of collection.

Storage/Transport Temperature

Transport culture bottles immediately at room temperature

Remarks

Recommended for culture of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and yeast, including Cryptococcus, from blood of septic patients.  Contact the Microbiology laboratory for blood culture of unusal organisms including Bartonella, Streptobacillus (Rat-bite Fever), mycobacteria and dimorphic fungi

Stability (from collection to initiation)

Ambient: 24 hours; Refrigerated: Unacceptable; Frozen: Unacceptable

Collection device


Test Barcode Number

28003
Testing

Lab Section

Microbiology (Bacteriology)

Methodology

BacT/Alert Virtuo continuous monitoring system. Standard reference procedures for identification of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms

Performed

Sun-Sat

Reported

1 - 5 days

Synonyms

  • Culture, Blood (Blood Culture)

Performing Laboratory Website (click below)

UR Medicine Labs

Notes

Identification and susceptibility tests are billed separately from culture.

Result Interpretation

Reference Interval

Reference Interval for All Blood Cultures: No Bacterial or Yeast Isolated

Reference Interval for Line-Related Sepsis:  Time-to-Positivity for positive blood cultures is used to compare the time-to-positivity of a peripheral draw versus a line draw.  A line draw with a differential time-to-positivity of >2 hours as compared to a peripheral draw, collected in equal volumes and at the same time, can be an indication of line sepsis.  Refer to SMH Clinical Practice Guidelines and IDSA Guidelines 2009.  The relevance of time-to-positivity for other blood cultures has not been established.
Coding

CPT Codes

Culture: 87040

CPT codes vary based on identification and susceptibility methods. Billing reports can be provided as needed.  Please contact your UR Medicine Lab Account Manager for details

URM Labs Internal
Test Build

Order Type (Individual or Group)

I

Result Test ID

BLD

Reportable?

Y

Result Test Name

BACTERIAL BLOOD CULTURE

Result Type (Individual or Group)

I

Type (Alpha or Numeric)

A

Text

**********REMINDER FOR ERECORD USERS********** SPECIMEN TYPE MUST BE DOCUMENTED ON THE BOTTLES PLACE BARCODE LABELS VERTICALLY ON THE BOTTLES

Micro Source Information

Source ID             Source Name Sites REFLEX TESTS
BLDAA BLOOD:AEROBIC/ANAEROBIC Enter draw site  
BLDAE BLOOD:AEROBIC Enter draw site  
BLDAN BLOOD:ANAAEROBIC Enter draw site  

CPT Codes

Culture: 87040

CPT codes vary based on identification and susceptibility methods. Billing reports can be provided as needed.  Please contact your UR Medicine Lab Account Manager for details

Pricing

Refer to Lab Account Manager. email: labservicesoutreach@urmc.rochester.edu

Important Information

Lab Section
Microbiology (Bacteriology)

ARUP Consult®

Disease Topics

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