CLO Test

Microbiology Specimen Collection Procedure

Selective Rapid Urea (CLO Test) Specimen Collection Information (Remel)

Preperation of the Selective Rapid Urea Agar:.

Note: A negative rapid urease test does not rule out the possibility of H.pylori colonization

1. Patients should not have taken antibiotics or bismuth salts for at least three weeks prior to endoscopy. Suppressiom pf H.pylori by these agents makes the organism difficult to detect by any means, and re-growth of H.pylori may be patch, leading to false negative results in the first few weeks agter treatment.
2. A false negative Selective Rapid Urea may occur when very low numbers H.pylori are present, or the bacterium has a patchy distribution.
3. An improperly transported specimen may not result in an accurate test.
4. A false positive reaction could result should the medium become contaminated with a urease-producing organism.