Brucella Culture Print

WSLH Department: CDD - Communicable Disease Division
WSLH Test Code: MP00350
Day(s) Performed:

Daily, Monday - Saturday
Turn-around Time:

3 days - 4 weeks
Recommended Uses:

To detect infections caused by Brucella species in individuals exhibiting symptoms consistent with Brucellosis.
Pre-approval:

Yes, please contact WSLH Customer Service at (800)-862-1013 prior to submission.
Contraindications:

Patients with no travel history or contact to animal sources (including unpasteurized dairy) have a low likelihood of Brucella infection.
Additional Tests Performed:
Preparation for Collection:
Specimen Requirements:

Culture isolates. For high suspect patient: positive blood culture bottles (blood and bone marrow), Sterile vial with fluid specimens other than blood and bone marrow, Sterile vial with non-bacteriostatic saline for tissues.
Collection Instructions:

Blood cultures should be performed in the clinical lab prior to submission.
Collection Kit/Container:

Aseptic collection of specimens
Requisition Form:
Required Information:

Please include all pertinent clinical information, lab rule-out testing results, and exposure history. 

Laboratory regulations require the following minimum information to be provided on the requisition form for a specimen to be accepted for testing: Patient name or unique identifier, date and time of collection, patient date of birth and sex, specimen type/site of collection, test request(s), clinician name and UPIN, and address for reporting results. Please be certain that name/identifier on the form matches that on the specimen label which is required to have a minimum of two identifiers.
Rejection Criteria:

Formalinized tissue is unacceptable for culture.
Specimen Handling:

Store specimens (other than blood culture bottles) in a refrigerator (2-8°C) and ship with frozen cold packs. Ship blood culture bottles at ambient temperatures. It is recommended that specimens are received in the laboratory within 24-48 hours of collection.
Packaging Requirements:
Courier Information:

Contact Purple Mountain Dispatch at 800-990-9668 for specimen pick up.
Specimen Receiving Hours: Monday-Friday 6:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Saturday 6:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Results Include:

Negative for Brucella species or
Culture shows Brucella (with species identification)
Limitations:

Blood cultures are only useful early in the acute phase of the disease. Recovery from tissues is unlikely unless there was a direct inoculation.
Additional Tests Recommended:
Additional Comments:

If Brucella is suspected, please call the WSLH prior to submission of clinical specimens or isolates. It is best that blood cultures be incubated at the clinical laboratory. If positive for an isolate that cannot be ruled out as Brucella, submit the isolate to WSLH and order test code MP00470. Culture identification will be automatically confirmed by PCR. Extreme caution should be taken when handling isolates or specimens suspected of containing Brucella species. It is a potential source of lab acquired infections.
Methodology:

Bacterial culture, RT-PCR confirmation of species
Includes:

Blood, bone marrow, abscess or tissue for isolation and identification of Brucella species.
Regulatory Compliance:
CPT Code: 87081
Price: $61.00
Fee Exempt Eligible:

Yes, all pre-approved clinical testing is fee-exempt
Billing and Revenue Office:

1-800-862-1065 arbill@slh.wisc.edu
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