Stool Culture, Campylobacter sp Only

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Turnaround Time: 4 - 5 days
CPT Code:

87046

Test Type: 1 to 2 g in stool C&S transport vial
Reference Range:

No Campylobacter isolated

Overview:

Determine the presence or absence of Campylobacter species in stool.

Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis.

Collection Details:

Collection Instructions:

Fecal specimens for different tests often need different transport containers. Specimens should be portioned out to separate devices of each type for each test requested before sending to the laboratory. Stool for bacterial culture should be submitted in the C&S transport vial; only a thumbnail size portion of stool, about 1 to 2 g or 1 to 2 mL of stool should be added to the vial. Overfilling the vial will reduce recovery of stool pathogens.

Stool culture transport vial (Para-Pak® orange) is required.

If collected in sterile bedpan, specimen must not be contaminated with urine, residual soap, or disinfectant.

A single stool specimen cannot be used to rule out bacteria as a cause of diarrhea. It is recommended that two or three stool specimens, collected on separate days, be submitted to increase the probability of isolating a bacterial pathogen. Hospitalized patients who develop diarrhea while hospitalized and more than 72 hours after admission should be tested for Clostridium difficile by detection of toxin A and/or toxin B.

Studies have shown that patients who did not have gastroenteritis or other GI symptoms on admission are unlikely to have diarrheal illness due to Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, or enterohemorrhagic E coli.

Maintain specimen at room temperature.