*** FOR INPATIENTS AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PATIENTS, REFER TO GASTROINTESTINAL PATHOGEN PANEL (GI PANEL) ***

Stool/Feces received in preservative of FecalSwab or Cary Blair

"FOR OUTPATIENTS HAVE THE PATIENT COLLECT THE SAMPLE AND TRANSFER INTO CARY BLAIR IMMEDIATELY"

Collect no more than 3 specimens for culture (1 per 24-hour period).
The specimen source is required on the request form for processing.

Specify on the request form if these pathogens are suspected:

• Vibrio
• Yersinia
• Aeromonas
• Plesiomonas
  
  Stool:
  1. Submit 10 g of stool in Cary Blair.
  2. Label Cary Blair with the patient's full name, date of birth, identification number, date and time of collection, initials of the person collecting the specimen, and the specimen source.
  3. Send the specimen at room temperature only.
  4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Swab:
1.  Each FecalSwab™ kit consists of a sterile peel pouch containing a regular Nylon FLOQSwab™ and a screw cap tube containing 2 mL of Cary-Blair medium. Note: These instructions indicate use of FecalSwab™ after patient has delivered stool specimen in a clean, dry pan or special container. Stool specimen should not contain urine or water.
2. Open the peel pouch. Remove the swab. Do not touch the swab tip. Always hold the shaft applicator above the marked breakpoint.
3.  Collect a small amount of stool by inserting all the tip of the flocked swab into the stool sample and rotate it. Note: Bloody, slimy or watery stools should be selected and sampled.
4  Remove and examine to make sure there is fecal material visible on the tip of the swab. If needed, insert again the flocked swab into the stool sample and rotate making sure all the area of the swab tip is in contact with the sample.
5. Transfer the swab into the FecalSwab™ tube and check that the maximum filling line ("MAX.FILL") on the label is not exceeded.  Note: If sample collected exceeds maximum fill line, discard the swab and the tube and collect a new specimen using a different FecalSwab™.
6. Holding the swab shaft between thumb and finger, mash and mix the stool specimen against the side of the tube to evenly disperse and suspend the specimen in the medium.
7. Hold the tube away from your face.  Holding the end of the swab shaft, bend it at a 180 degree angle to break at the marked breakpoint.
8. If needed, gently twist the shaft between thumb and forefinger to completely remove it. Discard the broken upper part of the swab shaft and tighten the cap.
9. Shake the vial until the sample appears homogenous.
10. Write patient's name and demographics on the tube or apply a label and send the sample to the laboratory.

This test will not be performed for routine bacterial culture at > 72 hours post inpatient admission.

87045 - Culture Stool (Salmonella, Shigella) (EAP 30060880)
87046 - Culture Additional Organism (Escherichia coli O157:H7) (EAP 30060170)
87046 - If additional pathogens requested
87077 - Identification (if appropriate)
87184 - Susceptibility studies, disk method (if appropriate)
87186 - Susceptibility studies, microdilution or agar dilution (if appropriate)
87899 - Campylobacter (EAP 30065416)
87899 - Shigatoxin One (EAP 30065425)
87899 - Shigatoxin Two (EAP 30065430)