Page updated 30 April 2007
Laboratory Specimens - Availability of Microbiology Results
- Day of receipt: Microscopy results and some antigen or antibody tests.
- After overnight incubation and reading time: First day culture results, printed and sent to requesting departments. Telephoned results normally available after 10.30am.
- Second day: Identification of organisms and antibiotic sensitivities from first day isolates. Anaerobic culture results, first reading.
- Third to tenth day: further reports may follow especially for anaerobes and fungi.
- Mycobacterial cultures are continued for 8 or sometimes 12 weeks. Positive results are always telephoned.
- The following results will be telephoned directly to the requesting doctor (and if not available, the ward/floor):
- Virulent organisms (eg Streptococcus pyogenes)
- Any positive culture from a normally sterile site (Blood, CSF, etc).
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