Bone Marrow Fungal Culture (Sendout)

Useful For: Diagnosing fungi as agent of infection in bone marrow.

Test Algorithm: If no growth after 24 days of incubation, a final negative report will be issued. If positive, organism identification will be performed at additional charge.

Method Description: Specimens are cultured on selective fungal media (e.g., inhibitory mold agar and brain heart infusion blood agar with chloramphenicol and gentamicin). Respiratory sources also are cultured on brain heart infusion agar with chloramphenicol, gentamicin, and cycloheximide. Cultures are incubated for 24 days at 30 degrees C.

Identification of fungi is based on colonial and microscopic morphology, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, laboratory-developed real-time polymerase chain reaction assays and/or D2 ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, as applicable.

Interpretation:

Positive cultures of yeast and filamentous fungi are reported with the organism identification.

The clinician must determine whether the presence of an organism is significant or not. A final negative report is issued after 24 days of incubation.

Cautions:

For optimal recovery of organisms, sufficient specimen should be transported within 24 hours of collection.

Fungi can be pathogens, colonizers, or contaminants. Correlation of the patient clinical condition with culture results is necessary.

Collection: Bone marrow in YELLOW SPS (sodium polyanethol sulfonate) tube

• Also Accepted: Sterile container or GREEN TOP (lithium or sodium heparin) tube.

Expedite transport to the lab.

Outside Laboratories:

• For optimal recovery of organisms, specimens should arrive at Mayo within 24 hours of collection. For this reason, it is recommended that non-local clients arrange for testing directly with Mayo if possible.
• If sending orders to UW: Refrigerate bone marrow specimen in original collection tube and expedite transport.

Stability: Refrigerated (preferred): 7 days; Ambient: 7 days; Frozen: Unacceptable.

Refrigerate bone marrow in original collection container.

Log: SPMSND-;REFRIG

• MSNDTO: MAYO
• MSPTYP: BNM
• MTSTRQ: ;Bone Marrow Culture, Fungal (Mayo Test FGEN)

Sendouts:

• Order Mayo Test: FGEN
• In MayoAccess, enter the Specimen Source: Bone Marrow. Failure to provide the source at login may result in delays.
• Expedite transport. Samples are preferred to arrive within 24 hours of collection.
  

Stability: Refrigerated (preferred): 7 days; Ambient: 7 days; Frozen: Unacceptable.

CPT: 87102 (Culture only)

• Reflex testing may be performed at additional charge.