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HelpTest ID STL Enteric Pathogens Culture, Stool
Useful For
Determining whether a bacterial enteric pathogen is the cause of diarrhea
May be helpful in identifying the source of the infectious agent (eg, dairy products, poultry, water, or meat)
Reflex Tests
| Test ID | Reporting Name | Available Separately | Always Performed |
|---|---|---|---|
| RMALD | Ident by MALDI-TOF mass spec | No | No |
| GID | Bacteria Identification | No | No |
| ISAE | Aerobe Ident by Sequencing | No | No |
| REFID | Additional Identification Procedure | No | No |
| SALS | Serologic Agglut Method 1 Ident | No | No |
| SHIG | Serologic Agglut Method 3 Ident | No | No |
| KPND1 | KPC and NDM PCR | No, Internal (Bill Only); Yes External (Order KPNRP) | No |
| HODGB | Carbapenamase-Modified Hodge Test | No, Internal (Bill Only); Yes External (Order HODGE) | No |
| CARNB | Carbapenemase-Carba NP Test | No, Internal (Bill Only): Yes External (Order CARNP) | No |
Testing Algorithm
When this test is ordered, the reflex tests may be performed and charged separately. Includes Aeromonas, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, and Yersinia.
Note: Does not include culture for Escherichia coli O157:H7.
See Laboratory Testing for Infectious Causes of Diarrhea in Special Instructions.
Special Instructions
Method Name
Conventional Culture Technique
Reporting Name
Enteric Pathogens Culture, StoolSpecimen Type
FecalSpecimen must arrive within 96 hours of collection.
Specimen Type: Preserved Stool
Container/Tube: Commercially available transport system specific for recovery of enteric pathogens from fecal specimens (15 mL of non-nutritive transport medium containing phenol red as a pH indicator, either Cary-Blair or Para-Pak C and S)
Specimen Volume: Representative portion of stool specimen
Collection Instructions: Collect fresh stool and submit 1 gram or 5 mL in container with transport medium.
Additional Information: If Vibrio is suspected, order VIBC / Vibrio Culture, Stool.
Specimen Minimum Volume
1 mL
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fecal | Ambient (preferred) | 4 days |
| Refrigerated | 4 days |
Clinical Information
Diarrhea may be caused by a number of agents (eg, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals) and these agents may result in similar symptoms. A thorough patient history covering symptoms, severity, duration of illness, age, travel history, food consumption, history of recent antibiotic use, and illnesses in the family or other contacts will help the physician categorize the disease and ensure that any special requests are communicated to the laboratory.
Reference Values
No growth of pathogens
Cautions
Stool cultures for enteric pathogens are generally not useful from patients hospitalized for more than 3 days because the yield from specimens from these patients is very low, as is the likelihood of identifying a pathogen that has not been detected previously.
Clostridium difficile, a major cause of nosocomial diarrhea, is not detected by this test (order CDRP / Clostridium difficile Toxin, Molecular Detection, PCR).
Escherichia coli O157:H7 is not detected by this test (Order STXRP / Shiga toxin, Molecular Detection, PCR, Feces).
Day(s) Performed
Monday through Sunday
Report Available
3-5 daysPerforming Laboratory
Mayo Medical Laboratories in Rochester
Test Classification
This test uses a standard method. Its performance characteristics were determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.CPT Code Information
87045-Enteric Pathogens Culture, Stool-with isolation and preliminary examination
87046 x 3-Stool Culture Aerobic Bacteria, each
87077-Ident by MALDI-TOF mass spec (if appropriate)
87077-Bacteria Identification (if appropriate)
87153-Aerobe Ident by Sequencing (if appropriate)
87077-Additional Identification Procedure (if appropriate)
87147 x 3-Serologic Agglut Method 1 Ident (if appropriate)
87147 x 4-Serologic Agglut Method 3 Ident (if appropriate)
87798 x 2-KPC and NDM PCR (if appropriate)
87185-Carbapenemase Detection, Modified Hodge Test (if appropriate)
87185-Carbapenemase Detection-Carba NP Test (if appropriate)