Culture, Lower Respiratory Tract

Preferred specimen:	Collect lower respiratory specimen: Sputum, tracheal aspirate, bronchial wash, bronchial alveolar lavage (BAL), or transtracheal aspirate. For sputum, carefully instruct the patient to cough deeply (not to spit) into a sterile screw-top container. The first morning specimen is best (no 24 hour collection). Transport at least 5 mL of sputum or fluid in a tightly sealed container.
Notes:	It is strongly recommended that a gram stain be performed on all expectorated sputum specimens to determine their acceptability for culture. Please order Culture, Lower Respiratory Tract, and Gram Stain (order code 3241) unless a gram stain has already been performed by the client at the time of collection. Identification and susceptibility tests will be performed if indicated, at an additional charge. Agents such as Bordetella pertussis, Chlamydia pneumoniae , Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Acid-Fast Bacilli (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), and Fungus require special laboratory measures for isolation and therefore require separate orders for each specific agent.
Unacceptable specimen:	Swabs. Specimens received after 72 hours of collection. Multiple specimens (more than one in 24 hours) or frozen specimens.
Transport temp:	Refrigerated
Methodology:	Bacteriologic culture techniques
Unit Code:	402600
Reported:	Within 48 hours