Draw blood into an Isolator tube, available from Client Services, using aseptic technique as defined for blood culture collection. Use a 10 mL Isolator tube for standard adult draw and a 1.5 mL Isolator tube for pediatric or difficult collection. Do not use a butterfly collection system. For standard draw using a needle and syringe, collect 11 mL blood and inject 10 mL into the tube, discarding the remaining 1 mL. Do not refrigerate or freeze.
Stability:
16 hours ambient. Specimen unstable refrigerated or frozen. Short draw must be processed within one hour.
Standard Volume:
Adults: 10 mL Isolator tube. Pediatrics: 1.5 mL Isolator tube
Minimum Volume:
1.5 mL Isolator tube
Transport:
Ambient.
Comments:
Isolated organisms will be identified. Susceptibility testing will be performed if appropriate. Additional charges will be added for these tests.
Rejection Criteria:
Clotted specimen; delayed transport; short draw specimen received in laboratory more than one hour after collection; refrigerated or frozen specimen.