Culture, Chlamydia

Additional Info: If indicated, further testing considered medically appropriate will be reflexed, resulting in additional charges.

Useful For:
Chlamydia culture is the recommended method of choice for specimens obtained from sexually abused patients. The Gen-Probe swab system is not approved for use in cases of supsected sexual abuse.

Methodology: Tissue Culture

Specimen Requirements:
ACCEPTABLE SPECIMEN:
Cervix, urethra, rectal mucosa, eye, nasopharynx, nasal aspirate, throat, sterile fluid, or tissue.

UNACCEPTABLE SPECIMEN:
Vaginal, urine, semen, or specimens on wooden shafts or calginate swabs as they may yield false negative results.

NOTE:

CULTURE SITE IS REQUIRED ON REQUEST FORM FOR PROCESSING.
Specimens greater than 48 hours old are unacceptable.
Urine and semen specimens are unacceptable.

Collect swab samples as follows:

Cervical

1. Remove excess mucus from the cervix. Insert a sterile large tip dacron swab into the endocervix, rotate, remove, and discard.
2. Insert a sterile, small tip dacron swab with a wire shaft into the cervical os to collect cells from the transitional zone. Rotate the swab vigorously in firm contact with endocervical surface to facilitate the collection of columnar epithelial cells. Withdraw swab without contacting vaginal surfaces.
3. Place the second swab into UTM ViroPak ™ media tube provided by Meadville Medical Center Laboratory. Snap off the swab so the swab fits into the closed tube.
4. Cap the tube securely and label the tube with the patient’s name, date, time of collection and specimen source.
5. Refrigerate specimen after collection. SPECIMEN CANNOT BE FROZEN.

Urethra

1. The patient should be instructed not to urinate for 1 hour prior to sampling.
2. Insert a sterile fine tip dacron swab 2-4 cm into the male urethra or 1 cm into the female urethra. Hold in place 5 seconds.
3. Rotate the swab several times to obtain columnar epithelial cells. Withdraw swab.
4. Place the swab into UTM ViroPak ™ media tube provided by Meadville Medical Center Laboratory. Snap off the swab so the swab fits into the closed tube.
5. Cap the tube securely and label the tube with the patient’s name, date, time of collection and specimen source.
6. Refrigerate specimen after collection. SPECIMEN CANNOT BE FROZEN.

Conjunctival

1. Use a sterile swab to clean away any discharge present. Do not scrape conjunctiva while cleaning.
2. If both eyes are affected, swab the least affected one first.
3. Thoroughly swab the lower then the upper conjunctiva 2-3 times each with the supplied swab. Do not substitute other swabs.
4. Place the swab into UTM ViroPak ™ media tube provided by Meadville Medical Center Laboratory. Snap off the swab so the swab fits into the closed tube.
5. Cap the tube securely and label the tube with the patient’s name, date, time of collection and specimen source. Refrigerate specimen after collection. SPECIMEN CANNOT BE FROZEN.

Nasopharynx and Throat

1. A sterile nasopharyngeal fine wire dacron swab is inserted gently into one or both interior nares to the posterior pharynx. Rotate to collect mucous membrane cells and withdraw.
2. Swab the posterior pharynx vigorously with a larger tip sterile, plastic shafted dacron swab.
3. Place the swab into UTM ViroPak ™ media tube provided by Meadville Medical Center Laboratory. Snap off the swab so the swab fits into the closed tube.
4. Cap the tube securely and label the tube with the patient’s name, date, time of collection and specimen source.
5. Refrigerate specimen after collection. SPECIMEN CANNOT BE FROZEN.

NOTE: Nasal aspirates collected by intubation are a superior source of the agent in infants with pneumonia.

Rectal

1. Collect cells from the mucosal surface by inserting a sterile, plastic shafted dacron swab 1 cm past the anal sphincter. Rotate in firm contact with the mucosal surface. Withdraw swab.
2. Place the swab into UTM ViroPak ™ media tube provided by Meadville Medical Center Laboratory. Snap off the swab so the swab fits into the closed tube.
3. Cap the tube securely and label the tube with the patient’s name, date, time of collection and specimen source.
4. Refrigerate specimen after collection. SPECIMEN CANNOT BE FROZEN.

Analytical Time: 4 days

Days Set Up: Monday through Sunday

CPT Information:
87110 – Culture, Chlamydia
87140 – Culture typing