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Stool Culture

Enteric Pathogens

Stool Culture for Enteric Pathogens

 

Last Updated: 04/01/2017

Procedure:

  1. The Specimen should be passed on a clean, dry surface such as a bed pan or collection cup. The specimen must not be taken from the toilet or contaminated with urine.
  2. Unscrew the Red cap from the Stool Culture Collection (ETM) vial.
  3. Using the collection "spork", collect scoops of stool specimen from areas of the stool that are bloody, slimy, or watery. (See notes below for watery vs. hard stools)
  4. Continue to add specimen to the bottles until the liquid reaches the red line.
  5. Mix the specimen THOROUGHLY with the spork and tightly twist cap to close.
  6. Mix container thoroughly and completely until there are no lumps
  7. Mix the spcimen thoroughly by stirring with the spork and tightly twist the cap closed. 
  8. Mix container thoroughly and completely by shaking until there are no lumps.
  9. Be sure caps are tight.
  10. Label according to laboratory policy, and send to the laboratory at room temperature.

Note:

  1. The liquid in the Stool Culture Collection (ETM) vials is poisonous. Keep out of the reach of children and adults who might accidentally ingest!
  2. If the stool is formed or hard, take small scoops from the ends and middle of the specimen.
  3. If the specimen is watery, a protion can be carefully poured into the vials.
  4. Always check the expiration date printed on the vials before using.
  5. The specimen should be put into the preservative vials immediately after passage of specimen. The ETM vial will preserve all known enteric pathogenic bacteria for 72 hours.
  6. The stool collectionvials are stocked on the supply carts on the nursing units, Clinics and Outreach Centers. (Store room number: 900612)

Specimens Unacceptable for Stool Culture:

  1. Unpreserved stool samples >2 hours old.
  2. Preserved stool samples with yellow phenol red indicator, indicating failure of the buffering system to maintain a neutral pH and thus death of some organisms, especially Shigella spp.
  3. Dry rectal swabs (acceptable for screening for vanomycin-resistant Enterococci only)
  4. Multiple specimens collected on the same day.
  5. Stool cultures requested on inpatients who have been in-house greater than 3 days. These are of limited diagnostic value. Diarrhea developing three days or more after admission is most likely caused by C. difficile.
  6. Stool Preserved > 3 days old

 

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