Specimen Requirements

Submit only one of the following

Preferred
Specimen Type: Blood
Container/Tube: Adult: BacT/Alert Plus FA (green)

                            Neonate: BacT/Alert Plus PF (yellow)
Volume: Adult: 10.0 mL of blood

              Neonate: 4.0 mL of blood
Minimum Volume: Adult: 8.0 mL

                               Neonate: 1.0 mL
Collection Instructions: Do not use expired bottles, or bottles within seven days of the expiry date. Keep BacT/Alert culture bottles at room temperature and in the dark when not in use.

Please refer to Blood Culture Collection.

Acceptable
Specimen Type: Blood
Container/Tube: Bottles from other blood culture systems
Volume: According to manufacturer’s instruction.
Minimum Volume: According to manufacturer’s instruction.
Collection Instructions: According to manufacturer’s instruction.

For bottles from other blood culture systems, manual monitoring of bottles will be performed and result reporting will be delayed.

Please inform laboratory to extend incubation beyond 5 days if slow growing bacteria such as Brucella is suspected.