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Home > Locations & Services > Services > Pathology and Laboratory Medicine > Health Practitioners and the Laboratory > specimenretentiontimesmicrobiology

LeftTopContent Locations & Services Find:  Locations | Services Health Practitioners and the Laboratory Pathology and Laboratory Medicine HomeTest and Services CatalogueTransfusion Medicine Product CataloguePolicy and ProcedureJob AidsSpecimen Collection and TransportRequisitionsAntibiogramsGenetic Testing and Molecular GeneticsMicrobiology EssentialsTransfusion EssentialsReference RangesLaboratory SuppliesAcute Care SCM GuidelinesContact InformationPhysician Access to Patient Results eHR ViewerFor Physicians - SCM New Clinic or Provider Information Changes LeftMiddleContent LeftBottomContent

PageTopContent Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Microbiology Essentials FloatingContent2Body FloatingContent1 PageMiddleContent ​Specimen Retention Times for Clinical Microbiology Specimen Site/Source Test Requested Retention Time Blood ​ ​ ​ ​ Blood Culture Adult Pediatric/Neonate C&S Fungal Culture 2 days after Final Report Plasma PCR 14 days Serum ​ ​ Viral Serology 30 days PCR 14 days Cryptococcal Antigen 30 days Body Fluid Sterile other than Blood, Urine or CSF PCR 14 days Bone Bone C&S 30 days Bone Marrow Bone Marrow PCR 14 days Cerebrospinal Fluid AV reservoir AV shunt Lumbar drain fluid/puncture Ventricular fluid C&S Cryptococcal Antigen Fungal Culture PCR 30 days Feces ​ Feces ​ C&S 3 days PCR 7 days Foreign Body ​ Contact lens C&S 3 days PCR 7 days Genital ​ Swabs from all sites PCR 14 days Labia/Vulva swab Seminal fluid C&S Ureaplasma/Mycoplasma 3 days Lower Respiratory ​ ​ ​ Bronchial brushing C&S 30 days Bronchial washing Lung aspirate Pneumocystis jirovecii 30 days   Sputum Tracheal aspirate/secretions C&S (Routine) C&S (Extended Work-Up) Ureaplasma/Mycoplasma 3 days PCR 7 days Nose/Groin Nose/Groin swab MRSA Surveillance 3 days Other ​ Various PCR 14 days Perianal swab Wound swab (previously ESBL positive site) ESBL Surveillance 3 days Rectal ​ Rectal swab PCR 14 days Feces Perianal swab (for neutropenic patients) Rectal swab Stoma swab (for patient with colostomy or ileostomy) Wound swab for VRE follow-up (previous VRE positive site) VRE Surveillance 3 days Tissue ​ ​ Autopsy PCR 30 days Biopsy ​ PCR 30 days C&S Fungal Culture 2 months Upper Respiratory ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Eye swab ​ PCR 14 days C&S 30 days Mouth swab PCR 14 days Swab Gums Mouth Tongue C&S Fungal Culture 3 days Nasopharyngeal swab/aspirate PCR 14 days Nose swab ​ PCR 14 days C&S 3 days Throat swab C&S (Routine) C&S (Extended Work-Up) Fungal Culture 3 days   Urine ​ Urine ​ C&S 3 days PCR 7 days Wound Various C&S 3 days PageBottomContent ​If you choose to print this information, it is valid only on date of print. Laboratory Controlled Document LSM-803 v1

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