Specimen Requirements

Submit only one of the following

Preferred
Specimen Type: Joint fluid, Pleural fluid, Peritoneal Dialysate (PD) fluid, Ascitic fluid
Container/Tube: BacT/Alert Plus FA (green)
Volume: 10.0 mL
Minimum Volume: 8.0 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.

Acceptable
Specimen Type: Joint fluid, Pleural fluid, Peritoneal Dialysate (PD) fluid, Ascitic fluid
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.

Gram smears will not be performed from the BacT/Alert bottles until the bottle(s) prompt positive. Please send fluid in a sterile bottle if Gram smear is required.