Specimen Collection & Handling Instructions
BLOOD CULTURE COLLECTION
Collection of Specimens for Microbiology
Proper transport and storage of specimens are prerequisites for reliable culture results.
Ensure that the requisition and specimen are labeled with:
• patient's full name
• date of birth or health card number
• source of specimen
• collection date and time
The examination requested should be specified on the requisition.
Information concerning anti-microbial therapy or allergy, pregnancy, clinical diagnosis,
or underlying disease should also be noted.
Specimens should be transported promptly to LifeLabs Laboratory. Delays to
processing, beyond the recommended acceptable holding times, will compromise
culture results.
All specimens and body fluids are considered potentially hazardous. They should be
treated as if capable of causing disease. Clinical information or patient history as
provided by the physician determines the scope of the laboratory investigation by
ensuring that all laboratory services are relevant or adequate for each clinical situation.
Microbiology Collection Containers:
Aerobic Blue Anaerobic Purple Pediatric Pink
Bactec Blood Culture Bottles
For Inquires, contact LifeLabs Customer Care Centre 1-877-849-3637
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Specimen Collection & Handling Instructions
BLOOD CULTURE COLLECTION
Blood Cultures
LifeLabs provides special blood culture bottles upon request. Patient blood is drawn
directly into these containers, mixed well and sent directly to the laboratory.
A sufficient volume of blood withdrawn per culture is one of the most important features
to optimize recovery of organisms from blood. Mark each bottle label before collection
with the desired fill line to indicate the desired collection volume. Overfilling of bottles
should be avoided.
The patient's full name, date of birth or health card number and date and time of
collection should be specified on the requisition and blood culture bottle. Also include
on the requisition any antibiotics in use and important clinical history (i.e. fever of
unknown origin, query endocarditis).
Maintain Blood cultures at room temperature. Optimally submit to laboratory
WITHIN 12 hours of collection.
Specimens are adequate if submitted within 24 hours of collection.
Adult Collection
Requests Collection Procedure
Collect two (2) sets of blood cultures.
1 st set: 10 mL of blood collected into 1 aerobic (blue) and
Routine Blood 10 mL of blood collected into 1 anaerobic (purple) BACTEC
Cultures bottle
2 nd set:10 mL of blood collected into 1 aerobic (blue) and
10 mL of blood collected into 1 anaerobic (purple) BACTEC
bottle collected from a 2 nd venipuncture site.
There is no need to wait between collection of sets of blood cultures
unless endocarditis is suspected (see below).
Collect three (3) sets of blood cultures.
Endocarditis,
Each set should be at least 30 minutes apart.
SBE, Bartonella,
1 set: 10 mL of blood collected into 1 aerobic (blue) and
st
Brucella** or
10 mL of blood collected into 1 anaerobic (purple) BACTEC
HACEK bottle
2 nd set:10 mL of blood collected into 1 aerobic (blue) and
10 mL of blood collected into 1 anaerobic (purple) BACTEC
bottle collected from a 2 nd venipuncture site.
**Notify the Medical
Microbiologist if 3 rd set:10 mL of blood collected into 1 aerobic (blue) and
Brucella requested 10 mL of blood collected into 1 anaerobic (purple) BACTEC
bottle collected from a 3 rd venipuncture site.
For Inquires, contact LifeLabs Customer Care Centre 1-877-849-3637
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Specimen Collection & Handling Instructions
BLOOD CULTURE COLLECTION
Child Collection
Approximate Total Volume
Weight Collection Procedure
Age of Blood
< 2 kg Neonate
1 to 2 mL 1 BACTEC PEDS (pink)
(< 5 lb) (< 1 month)
2.1 - 12.7 kg Infant
3 to 5 mL 1 BACTEC PEDS (pink)
(5 to 28 lb) (1 month to 2 years)
12.8 - 36.3 kg Children 5 to 10 mL 2 BACTEC PEDS (pink)
(28 to 80 lb) (2 to 12 years) (5 mL per bottle) bottles collected from same
venipuncture site
1 aerobic BACTEC bottle (blue)
> 36.3 kg Adolescent 20 mL 1 anaerobic BACTEC bottle (purple)
(> 80 lb) (> 12 years) (10 mL per bottle) bottles collected from same
venipuncture site
Request for Fungus, Yeast, Cryptococcus, Mycobacteria, TB, AFB or MAI
Requests Collection Procedure
Fungi/Yeast Collect two (2) sets of blood cultures.
• Cryptococcus 1 st set: 10 mL of blood collected into 1 aerobic (blue) and
10 mL of blood collected into 1 anaerobic (purple) BACTEC
• Candida
bottle
2 nd set:10 mL of blood collected into 1 aerobic (blue) and
10 mL of blood collected into 1 anaerobic (purple) BACTEC
bottle collected from a 2 nd venipuncture site.
Dimorphic Fungi:
• Histoplasmosis
• Blastomycosis
• Coccidiodes
Mould: Sodium Heparin (green stopper) vacutainer tube (7 mL)
• Aspergillus Maintain at room temperature. Submit to PHL within 24 hours with a
• Zygomycetes completed PHL requisition.
• Malassezia furfur
Mycobacteria /TB/
AFB/MAI
For Inquires, contact LifeLabs Customer Care Centre 1-877-849-3637
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