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25251 Culture, Staphylococcus aureus screen

Culture, Staphylococcus aureus screen
Test Code: STAUSCR
Synonyms/Keywords
​MRSA, MSSA, Staph
Test Components
Chromogenic Agar
Useful For
​This test is useful for the detection and reporting of human screening cultures for both methicillin susceptible (MSSA) and resistant (MRSA) strains of Staphylococcus aureus using a differential chromogenic medium.  No antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) can be performed from isolates recovered from this screening medium.  If AST is needed, refer to test code Culture, Aerobe with susceptibility (AERS).  If only MRSA is being sought, refer to test code Culture, MRSA Screen (MRSA).
Specimen Requirements
Fasting Required Specimen Type Preferred Container/Tube Acceptable Container/Tube Specimen Volume Specimen Minimum Volume
(allows for 1 repeat)		 Pediatric Minimum Volume
(no repeat)
​No ​Nasal or Nares Swab ​ESwab™ ​Other Amies medium based swab ​1 swab ​1 swab ​1 swab
Collection Processing Instructions

​Specimens should be delivered to the microbiology laboratory as soon as possible.  Culture of specimens older than 24 hours may lead to a reduction in recovery of microorganisms.

Swabs:

  • ESwab: collect one swab for Gram stain, aerobic and anaerobic cultures, and an additional swab for each additional culture type or stain (e.g. fungus or mycobacteria).
  • Other Amies medium swab types: collect one swab for every culture and stain (including Gram) to be ordered.

See ESwab collection video for more information

Acceptable Body Sites
​Nasal or Nares
Acceptable Specimen Types
​Swab
Specimen Stability Information
Specimen Type Temperature Time
Swab ​ ​Room Temperature ​<= 4 hours
​Refrigerated ​> 4 hours
Rejection Criteria
Leaking specimens
Dry swabs
​Specimens older than 4 days
Interference
​Phenylephrine hydrochloride components found in some nasal sprays have been shown to have an inhibitory effect on organisms and may affect MRSA growth on HardyCHROM MRSA.
Performing Laboratory Information
Performing Location Day(s) Test Performed Analytical Time Methodology/Instrumentation
​Marshfield ​Monday through Sunday ​24 hours

Chromogenic culture, manual or automated identification methods and nucleic acid sequence analysis as needed.

Test Information
​‘ESwab’ is a trademark of Copan Diagnostics.
Reference Range Information
Performing Location Reference Range
​Marshfield ​Negative for Staphylococcus aureus
Outreach CPTs
CPT Modifier
(if needed)		 Quantity Description Comments
​87081 ​ ​ ​​Culture, presumptive, pathogenic organisms, screening only ​
​87153 ​ ​ ​Identification by nucleic acid sequencing method ​as needed
Synonyms/Keywords
​MRSA, MSSA, Staph
Test Components
Chromogenic Agar
Ordering Applications
Ordering Application Description
If the ordering application you are looking for is not listed, contact your local laboratory for assistance.
Specimen Requirements
Fasting Required Specimen Type Preferred Container/Tube Acceptable Container/Tube Specimen Volume Specimen Minimum Volume
(allows for 1 repeat)		 Pediatric Minimum Volume
(no repeat)
​No ​Nasal or Nares Swab ​ESwab™ ​Other Amies medium based swab ​1 swab ​1 swab ​1 swab
Collection Processing

​Specimens should be delivered to the microbiology laboratory as soon as possible.  Culture of specimens older than 24 hours may lead to a reduction in recovery of microorganisms.

Swabs:

  • ESwab: collect one swab for Gram stain, aerobic and anaerobic cultures, and an additional swab for each additional culture type or stain (e.g. fungus or mycobacteria).
  • Other Amies medium swab types: collect one swab for every culture and stain (including Gram) to be ordered.

See ESwab collection video for more information

Acceptable Body Sites
​Nasal or Nares
Acceptable Specimen Types
​Swab
Specimen Stability Information
Specimen Type Temperature Time
Swab ​ ​Room Temperature ​<= 4 hours
​Refrigerated ​> 4 hours
Rejection Criteria
Leaking specimens
Dry swabs
​Specimens older than 4 days
Interference
​Phenylephrine hydrochloride components found in some nasal sprays have been shown to have an inhibitory effect on organisms and may affect MRSA growth on HardyCHROM MRSA.
Useful For
​This test is useful for the detection and reporting of human screening cultures for both methicillin susceptible (MSSA) and resistant (MRSA) strains of Staphylococcus aureus using a differential chromogenic medium.  No antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) can be performed from isolates recovered from this screening medium.  If AST is needed, refer to test code Culture, Aerobe with susceptibility (AERS).  If only MRSA is being sought, refer to test code Culture, MRSA Screen (MRSA).
Test Components
Chromogenic Agar
Reference Range Information
Performing Location Reference Range
​Marshfield ​Negative for Staphylococcus aureus
For more information visit:
Performing Laboratory Information
Performing Location Day(s) Test Performed Analytical Time Methodology/Instrumentation
​Marshfield ​Monday through Sunday ​24 hours

Chromogenic culture, manual or automated identification methods and nucleic acid sequence analysis as needed.

For billing questions, see Contacts
Outreach CPTs
CPT Modifier
(if needed)		 Quantity Description Comments
​87081 ​ ​ ​​Culture, presumptive, pathogenic organisms, screening only ​
​87153 ​ ​ ​Identification by nucleic acid sequencing method ​as needed
For most current information refer to the Marshfield Laboratory online reference manual.