Ear Culture & Sensitivity with Gram Stain

Interpretation

Reference Range

See individual components

Ordering & Collection

Specimen Type

Swab, drainage or exudate from ear canal

Collection

External Ear: Use swab to collect fluid from ear canal.

Internal Ear: Collect fluid in trap or on swab. Use sterile funnel if collecting from eardrum or beyond. Order Place Holder for Body Fluid Bacterial Culture and Sensitivity with Gram Stain (includes anaerobes) [FLDPHC]

Handling Instructions

Swabs: Transport at room temperature, ideally within 4 hours of collection, but not more than 24 hours after collection.

• Preferred transport media: ESwab.
• Acceptable: Amies gel swab.
• Unacceptable: Specimens collected in Universal Transport Medium (UTM); dry swabs; specimens collected with expired swabs/transport media.

Fluid or aspirate: Transport in a sterile leak-proof container at room temperature, ideally within 2 hours of collection, but not more than 24 hours after collection.

Specimens will be rejected if received > 24 hours after collection. Viability of organisms is significantly reduced after 24 hours.

Refrigeration is NOT ideal for bacterial culture as it decreases recovery of Strep. pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae.

Quantity

Requested: ESwab or as much fluid as possible.
Minimum: ESwab, 1 mL fluid

Processing

Receiving Instructions

If specimen source is tympanocentesis fluid, fluid from middle ear or ear drum, set up as FLDANC, or WNDANC if received on swab.

Misc Sendout

Performance

Lab Department

Microbiology(MC)

Frequency

Processed upon receipt

Available STAT?

Yes-Gram

Performing Location(s)

HMC	Microbiology 206-744-5858 325 9th Ave, Rm # GWH-47, Seattle, WA 98104-2420
UW-MT	Microbiology 206-520-4600 Clinical Lab, Room # NW177, University of Washington Medical Center, 1959 NE Pacific street, Seattle, WA 98195

Other Locations/Notes

UW-MT Microbiology performs testing for UW-MT and UW-NW.

Billing & Coding

CPT Codes

87070, 87205

LOINC

608-0

Interfaced Order Code

UOW4928