Test ID: STL
Enteric Pathogens Culture, Stool
NY State Approved 
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.
Useful For Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful
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)
Method Name A short description of the method used to perform the test
Conventional Culture Technique
Includes Aeromonas, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, and Yersinia.
Note: Does not include culture for Escherichia coli O157:H7.
Reporting Name A shorter/abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test; an abbreviated test name
Aliases Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching
Aeromonas
Campylobacter
E. coli O157:H7
Pathogen-Culture Stool
Pathogens, Aerobic Bacteria Culture, Stool
Salmonella
Shigella
Stool Culture
Vibrio
Yersinia
Culture, Aerobic Bacteria, Stool
50005-STL
Specimen Type Describes the specimen type needed for testing
Specimen Required Defines the optimal specimen. This field describes the type of specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing. The volume allows automated processing, fastest throughput and, when indicated, repeat or reflex testing.
Specimen must arrive within 72 hours of collection.
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, Para-Pak C and S, or buffered glycerol saline)
Specimen Volume: Representative portion of stool
Additional Information: If Vibrio is suspected, order VIBC/89658 Vibrio Culture, Stool.
Specimen Minimum Volume Defines the amount of specimen required to perform an assay once, including instrument and container dead space. Submitting the minimum specimen volume makes it impossible to repeat the test or perform confirmatory or perform reflex testing. In some situations, a minimum specimen volume may result in a QNS (quantity not sufficient) result, requiring a second specimen to be collected.
Reject Due To Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected
| Hemolysis | NA |
| Lipemia | NA |
| Icterus | NA |
| Other | NA |
Specimen Stability Information Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the laboratory. Alternate acceptable temperature(s) are also included.
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fecal | Ambient (preferred) | 72 hours |
| Refrigerated | 72 hours |
Clinical Information Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test
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 and 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 Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.
No growth of pathogens
Interpretation Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results
The growth of an enteric pathogen identifies the cause of diarrhea.
Cautions Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances
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/83124 Clostridium difficile Toxin, Molecular Detection, PCR).
Escherichia coli 0157:H7 is not detected by this test (Order STXRP/89565, Shiga toxin, Molecular Detection, PCR, Feces).
Clinical Reference Provides recommendations for further in-depth reading of a clinical nature
York MK, Rodrigues-Wong P: Clinical Microbiology Procedures Handbook. Second edition, ASM Press, Washington, DC, 2007, Section 3.8
Method Description Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference
The fecal specimen is inoculated onto selective media designed to inhibit growth of normal bowel flora while allowing growth of the enteric pathogens. The following media are used: sheep blood agar, Hektoen enteric (HE) agar, eosin-methylene blue (EMB) agar, Campylobacter agar, cefsulodin-irgasan-novobiocin (CIN) agar, and the enrichment broth, selenite F. Suspect colonies are identified using conventional biochemical and serologic methods.(Koneman EW: Color Atlas and Textbook of Diagnostic Microbiology. Sixth edition. Lippincott, Philadelphia)
Day(s) and Time(s) Test Performed Outlines the days and times the test is performed. This field reflects the day and time the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time required before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means assays are performed several times during the day.
Monday through Sunday; Continuously
Analytic Time Defines the amount of time it takes the laboratory to setup and perform the test. This is defined in number of days. The shortest interval of time expressed is "same day/1 day," which means the results may be available the same day that the sample is received in the testing laboratory. One day means results are available 1 day after the sample is received in the laboratory.
Maximum Laboratory Time Defines the maximum time from specimen receipt at Mayo Medical Laboratories until the release of the test result
Specimen Retention Time Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded
Performing Laboratory Location The location of the laboratory that performs the test
CPT Code Information Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Medical Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.
Enteric Pathogens Culture, Stool
87045-Stool with isolation and preliminary examination
87046 x 3-Stool, additional pathogens
Gram Negative Bacillus Ident
87077 (if appropriate)
Serologic Agglut Method Ident
87147
Bacteria Identification
87077 (if appropriate)
Ident by MALDI-TOF mass spec
87077 (if appropriate)
Aerobe Ident by Sequencing
87153 (if appropriate)
Additional Identification Procedure
87077 (if appropriate)
LOINC® Code Information Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the result codes returned for this test or profile.
| Result ID | Reporting Name | LOINC Code |
|---|---|---|
| STL | Enteric Pathogens Culture, Stool | In Process |
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