Superficial Wound Culture
Test Code
CXSWD
Description
Superficial wound culture is used to determine the presence of bacteria that are causing a external wounds. These are separated from deep wound or tissue cultures because superficial wound cultures typically contain normal flora and should be assessed within that context. No anaerobic culture is performed for superficial wound cultures.
Collect
Aspirates, Fine needle aspirates & drainage from non-sterile sources (i.e. abscesses): Aspirate the wound using a needle and syringe. Nonbacteriostatic saline can be injected subcutaneously if needed. Remove needle, cap syringe, then send to the laboratory as soon as possible.
Drainage: Aspirate drainage fluid aseptically from the drainage site. If not possible, aspirate from the drainage collection tubing after the tubing has been decontaminated.
Preferred volume: 3 mL
Minimum Volume: 1 mL
Tissues, biopsies, and bone: Can be collected from any external site. Specimen should be taken from within and adjacent to the area of infection. A few drops of sterile nonbacteriostatic saline can be added to prevent the specimen from drying out.
Preferred volume: 6 cm3
Minimum Volume: 1 cm3
Swab: Only use when there is not enough pus or fluid to aspirate. Using a sterile swab, collect the sample deep into the lesion at its advancing edge. Two swabs preferred, one for Gram stain and one for culture.
Patient Prep
Avoid antibiotic administration prior to sample collection.
Open wounds: Debride, then thoroughly rinse with sterile saline
Closed wound or aspirates: Clean with 2% chlorhexidine or 70% alcohol followed by
iodine solution. The iodine solution should be removed before collecting the sample.
Disinfect any collection tubing before collecting drainage samples.
Unacceptable Conditions
- Specimens received outside of temperature storage requirements
- Specimens received outside of stability time frame
- Specimens that do not meet the minimum volume requirement
- Specimens in non-sterile containers
- Specimens in expired transport media
- Specimens from a source not acceptable for this testing
- Specimens that are excessively leaking
- Mislabeled or unlabeled specimen
Stability
- For optimal recovery of potential pathogens, specimens should arrive within 2 hours at room temperature (20-25°C)
- If transportation is delayed, specimens can remain at room temperature (20-25°C) for a maximum of 24 hours
Performed
7 days a week from 8am to 6pm
Methodology
Aerobic bacterial culture
Turnaround Time
3 days
Department
Microbiology Lab
Synonyms
Aerobic bacteria culture
Study Offerings
CAP/CLIA
Related Tests
CXTIS, CXDWD
Reference Interval
Semi-quantification of normal commensal skin flora
Interpretation
The table below describes reportable organisms and if antimicrobial suscecdptibility testing (AST) is routinely included. If susceptibilities are needed for an organism that AST is not routinely included, please submit the request through EPIC using the OP Add-On/Comm Message type addressed to NJH LAB ADD-ON POOL.
|
Organism |
Threshold for Reporting |
Testing performed |
|
Acinetobacter baumanni complex |
Pure or predominant |
ID and AST |
|
Actinomyces spp. |
Pure or predominant |
ID |
|
Aeromonas hydrophila |
Any |
ID and AST‡ |
|
Aracanobacterium haemolyticum |
Any |
ID and AST‡ |
|
Bacillus anthracis |
Any |
ID |
|
Bacillus spp. (not anthracis) |
Pure |
ID |
|
Bartonella spp. |
Any |
ID |
|
Burkholderia mallei |
Any |
ID |
|
Burkholderia pseudomallei |
Any |
ID |
|
Candida spp. |
Pure or predominant |
ID |
|
Capnocytophaga spp. |
Any |
ID |
|
Coagulase-negative staphylococci (not listed individually) |
Pure |
ID |
|
Corynebacterium diptheriae |
Any |
ID and AST‡ |
|
Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii |
Any |
ID and AST‡ |
|
Corynebacterium minutissimum |
Any |
ID and AST‡ |
|
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis |
Any |
ID and AST‡ |
|
Corynebacterium ulcerans |
Any |
ID and AST‡ |
|
Eikenella spp. |
Pure or predominant |
ID |
|
Enterobacterales (not listed separately) |
Pure or predominant |
ID and AST |
|
Enterococcus spp. |
Pure or predominant |
ID and AST |
|
Francisella tularensis |
Any |
ID |
|
Haemophilus ducreyi |
Any |
ID |
|
Neisseria gonorrhoeae |
Any |
ID |
|
Nocardia spp. |
Any |
ID and AST |
|
Non-glucose fermenting GNR |
Pure or predominant |
ID and AST |
|
Other anaerobes |
Pure |
ID and AST‡ |
|
Pasteurella spp. |
Any |
ID; β-lactamase |
|
Pseudomonas aeruginosa |
Any |
ID and AST |
|
Staphylococcus aureus |
Any |
ID and AST |
|
Staphylococcus intermedius group |
Pure or predominant |
ID and AST |
|
Staphylococcus lugdunensis |
Pure or predominant |
ID and AST |
|
Staphylococcus schleiferi |
Pure or predominant |
ID and AST |
|
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia |
Pure or predominant |
ID and AST |
|
Streptococcus agalactiae (group B) |
Pure or predominant |
ID |
|
Streptococcus anginosus |
Pure or predominant |
ID |
|
Streptococcus pneumoniae |
Any |
ID and AST |
|
Streptococcus pyogenes (group A) |
Any |
ID |
|
Vibrio vulnificus |
Any |
ID and AST‡ |
|
Viridans group Streptococcus |
Pure |
ID |
|
Yersinia pestis |
Any |
ID |
‡AST is not performed in house; isolate will be sent to reference lab for susceptibility testing
CPT Code
87205, 87070
New York Approved
Standard
FDA
Standard Method