Enteric Pathogens Culture, Feces

Synonyms:

Yersinia

Aeromonas

Performing Lab:

Referral Lab

Patient Preparation:

Do not use barium or bismuth before specimen collection

Required Patient Info:

This test should only be ordered if provider specifically requests Yersinia or Aeromonas! If these are not specifically mentioned provider probably wants Stool Culture or GI Panel. Clarify order!

Container Type:

Carey-Blair

Specimen Type:

Fecal

Preferred Volume:

1 gram or 5 mL in container with transport medium (Representative portion of fecal specimen)

Alternate Specimens:

15 mL of non-nutritive transport medium containing phenol red as a pH indicator, either Cary-Blair or
Para-Pak C and S

Collection Procedure:

1. Collect fresh feces and submit 1 gram or 5 mL in container with transport medium.
2. Place feces in preservative within 2 hours of collection.
3. Place vial in a sealed plastic bag.

Store and Transport:

Ambient

Stability:

Ambient - 4 days
Refrigerated - 4 days

Specimen must arrive at Mayo within 96 hours of collection.

Unacceptable Condition:

Unpreserved stool, ECOFIX preservative, Formalin or PVA fixative

Limitations:

This test is generally not useful for patients hospitalized more than 3 days because the yield from specimens from these
patients is very low, as is the likelihood of identifying a pathogen that has not been detected previously.

CPT Codes:

87045-Enteric Pathogens Culture, Stool-with isolation and preliminary examination
87046 x 3-Stool Culture Aerobic Bacteria, each

Possible Reflex tests:
87077-Ident by MALDI-TOF mass spec (if appropriate)
87077-Bacteria Identification (if appropriate)
87153-Aerobe Ident by Sequencing (if appropriate)
87077-Additional Identification Procedure (if appropriate)
87147 x 3-Serologic Agglut Method 1 Ident (if appropriate)
87147 x 4-Serologic Agglut Method 3 Ident (if appropriate)

Method:

Conventional Culture

The fecal specimen is inoculated onto selective media designed to inhibit growth of normal bowel microbiota while
allowing growth of the enteric pathogens. The following media are used: sheep blood agar, Hektoen enteric (HE) agar,
eosin-methylene blue (EMB) agar, Campylobacter agar, cefsulodin-irgasan-novobiocin (CIN) agar, and the enrichment
broth, selenite F. After incubation, suspect colonies are identified using 1 or a combination of the following techniques:
matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, conventional biochemical
tests, carbon source utilization, serologic methods, or nucleic acid sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene.

Notes:

Reportable pathogens include Aeromonas, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, and Yersinia.
Note: This test does not include culture for Escherichia coli O157:H7. All bacterial isolates worked up, to rule in or out as
a pathogen, will be billed for work performed and resources consumed.

REF MISC

Enteric Pathogens Culture, Feces

Lab Personnel