Advanced Diagnostic Laboratories

Collect

Collect stool in sterile cup.
Preferred: 1 mL in Carey Blair medium transport container.

Patient Prep

If possible avoid recent antibiotics, x-ray contrast material, antidiarrheal medications, antacids, bismuth or oil products. One stool per day for three days is recommended.                                                                                                 

Unacceptable Conditions

Diapers

Storage Transport Temp

Refrigeration of stool specimens is not recommended since some bacteria, particularly Shigella, will not survive the acidic PH changes that occur with a drop in temperature.
If delay is more than 1 hour then transport in Cary-Blair media.

Stability

2 hours room temperature in sterile cup
Up to 7 days in Cary-Blair media

Notes

Refrigeration can retard bacterial growth, transport at RT.

Performed

7 days a week

Methodology

Conventional Culture

Reported

3 days

Department

Microbiology Lab

Synonyms

STOLC

Reference Interval

By Report

CPT Code

87045