Suitable Specimen Types
- Culture Slope
- Sterile Site Sample
samples is 600ul or pea size
Turnaround Time
7 daysSample Stability
Samples should be kept at 4°C and sent to the laboratoryas soon as possible for testing.
16S PCR and Sequencing
General Information
16S PCR and Sequencing can be used for identification of bacterial isolates or for the detection and identification of bacterial DNA in sterile site samples.
Sterile site samples should always have conventional M,C+S testing as well as 16S.
Patient Preparation
For general aspects of taking tissue samples we recommend that users follow either their local protocols or “The Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures”.
Tissue samples for microbiology
- All tissue samples should be collected aseptically and transferred directly to sterile sample
containers with no additives of any kind.
Fluid, Aspirate and Pus Samples
- All fluid and pus samples should be collected aseptically and transferred directly to sterile sample containers with no additives of any kind.
Notes
Preferred sample types:
Bacterial isolates for identification on slope culture
OR
Any sterile site sample in a sterile plastic container. Sterile site samples must not be diluted with or suspended in any carrier fluid.
Samples should be submitted on the correct request form and clinical details should be included. All results receive technical and clinical validation.
The laboratories at Heartlands Hospital, Good Hope Hospital and Solihull Hospital form part of the services provided by University Hospitals Birmingham and are UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) accredited to the ISO 15189:2012 standard. For a list of accredited tests and other information please visit the UKAS website using the following link: https://www.ukas.com/find-an-organisation/
- Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull Hospital pathology laboratories are a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No.8217
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency laboratory is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No.8213
Tests not appearing on the UKAS Schedule of Accreditation currently remain outside of our scope of accreditation. However, these tests have been validated to the same high standard as accredited tests and are performed by the same trained and competent staff.
For further test information, please visit the test database: https://heftpathology.site/frontpage/test-database.html.
Protection of personal information - Laboratory Medicine comply with the Trust Data Protection policy and have procedures in place to allow the Directorate and its employees to comply with the Data Protection act 1998 and associated best practice and guidance.
For further information contact Louise Fallon, Quality Manager, 0121 424 1235
