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Sterile Fluid Culture-Provincial

Discipline

Microbiology

Overview

Description

  • To establish the presence of bacteria and yeast from clinical specimens. A positive culture indicates the presence of microorganisms, suggesting an infection. Infection of normally sterile body fluids can result in severe morbidity and mortality.

Ordering Recommendations

  • Patients with suspected infection of normally sterile body compartments or surgically collected fluids from internal body compartments

Specimen Information

Specimen types accepted

  • Pleural fluid

  • Peritoneal fluid

  • Pericardial fluid

  • Synovial fluid

  • Joint aspirates

  • Bone marrow

  • Ascites fluid

  • Thoracentesis fluid 

  • Liver/kidney/pancreas/spleen aspirate

Specimen collection container

  • Sterile Screw Capped Container

Collection procedure

  • Collect using sterile technique into sterile screw capped container.

  • Alternatively, collect 2 mL into a sterile screw capped container for Gram stain preparation, then inoculate aerobic and anaerobic blood culture bottles with 6 – 8 mL each.

  • NOTE: Swabs of sterile fluid are inappropriate specimens. This significantly compromises the sensitivity of organism detection.

Required volume

  • 1 Sterile Screw Capped Container OR

  • 1 Sterile Screw Capped Container (at least 2mL) + 1 aerobic blood culture bottle (6-8mL) + 1 anaerobic blood culture bottle (6-8mL) 

Transport and stability

  • Transport at room temperature, as soon as possible and <24 hours. Do not freeze or refrigerate.

Performance

Methodology

  • Gram stain and culture for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, and yeast is performed routinely. Cultures are incubated for 7 days.
  • Specimens submitted in blood culture bottles are incubated on an automated instrument with continuous monitoring until growth is detected, or for 5 days if negative.

Days/times performed

  • All specimens will be tested at the nearest microbiology laboratory

Maximum laboratory time

  • Positive gram stains are considered CRITICAL RESULTS and are phoned to submitting location immediately upon detection 24 hours per day.

  • Reports of no growth are sent at 24 and 72 hours, if applicable.

  • Specimens submitted in blood culture bottles will have negative reports sent at 24 hours and 5 days.

Specimen retention time

RGH/PasquaSpecimens retained for 1 month after culturing.
SaskatoonSpecimens retained for 7 days after culturing 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Updated: November 14, 2025