Test Id : SALMC
Salmonella Culture, Feces
Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful
Determining whether Salmonella species may be the cause of diarrhea
Reflexive testing for Salmonella species from nucleic acid amplification test-positive feces
This test is generally not useful for patients hospitalized more than 3 days because the yield from specimens from these patients is very low, as is the likelihood of identifying a pathogen that has not been detected previously.
Highlights
This test provides evidence of the presence of the bacterium, Salmonella species, in feces, in a viable state, and provides an isolate for antibacterial susceptibility testing and, if needed, submission to a health department.
Minnesota healthcare providers are required to report all confirmed or suspected cases of salmonellosis to the Minnesota Department of Health. Mayo Clinic Laboratories clients should refer to their local health departments regarding public health submission of Salmonella isolates.
Reflex Tests
Lists tests that may or may not be performed, at an additional charge, depending on the result and interpretation of the initial tests.
| Test Id | Reporting Name | Available Separately | Always Performed |
|---|---|---|---|
| GID | Bacteria Identification | No, (Bill Only) | No |
| ISAE | Aerobe Ident by Sequencing | No, (Bill Only) | No |
| REFID | Additional Identification Procedure | No, (Bill Only) | No |
| SALS | Serologic Agglut Method 1 Ident | No, (Bill Only) | No |
| RMALD | Ident by MALDI-TOF mass spec | No, (Bill Only) | No |
Testing Algorithm
Delineates situations when tests are added to the initial order. This includes reflex and additional tests.
When this test is ordered, the reflex tests may be performed at an additional charge.
For more information see Laboratory Testing for Infectious Causes of Diarrhea
Method Name
A short description of the method used to perform the test
Conventional Culture
NY State Available
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.
Reporting Name
Lists a shorter or abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test
Aliases
Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching
Aerobic Bacterial Stool Culture
Enteric Pathogens
Salmonella Stool Culture
Salmonella
Stool Culture
Testing Algorithm
Delineates situations when tests are added to the initial order. This includes reflex and additional tests.
When this test is ordered, the reflex tests may be performed at an additional charge.
For more information see Laboratory Testing for Infectious Causes of Diarrhea
Specimen Type
Describes the specimen type validated for testing
Fecal
Ordering Guidance
The recommended test for diagnosis of typhoid or paratyphoid fever is blood culture.
Additional Testing Requirements
If susceptibility testing is needed, also order ZMMLS / Antimicrobial Susceptibility, Aerobic Bacteria, Varies. If susceptibility testing is not needed (eg, due to lack of recovery of Salmonella species from feces), it will not be performed and the ZMMLS order will be canceled at time of report.
In some cases, local public health requirements may impact Mayo Clinic Laboratories clients, requiring, for example, submission of isolates to public health laboratories. Clients should familiarize themselves with local requirements and are responsible for submitting isolates to appropriate public health laboratories. Clients can obtain isolates of Salmonella species recovered from specimens submitted to Mayo Clinic Laboratories by calling 800-533-1710 as soon as possible after reporting (to ensure viability of the bacterium).
Shipping Instructions
Specimen must arrive within 96 hours of collection.
Necessary Information
Specimen source is required.
ORDER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
| Question ID | Description | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| Q00M0084 | Specimen Source |
Specimen Required
Defines the optimal specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing
Patient Preparation: Patient should not use barium or bismuth for 7 to 10 days before specimen collection.
Supplies: Culture and Sensitivity Stool Transport Vial (T058)
Container/Tube: Commercially available transport system specific for recovery of enteric pathogens from fecal specimens (15 mL of non-nutritive transport medium containing phenol red as a pH indicator, either Cary-Blair or Para-Pak C and S)
Specimen Volume: Representative portion of fecal specimen
Collection Instructions:
1. Collect fresh feces and submit 1 gram or 5 mL in container with transport medium.
2. Place feces in preservative within 2 hours of collection.
3. Place vial in a sealed plastic bag.
Special Instructions
Library of PDFs including pertinent information and forms related to the test
Specimen Minimum Volume
Defines the amount of sample necessary to provide a clinically relevant result as determined by the testing laboratory. The minimum volume is sufficient for one attempt at testing.
1 mL
Reject Due To
Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected
| Unpreserved feces ECOFIX preservative Formalin or PVA fixative | Reject |
Specimen Stability Information
Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the performing laboratory, alternate acceptable temperatures are also included
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fecal | Ambient (preferred) | 4 days | |
| Refrigerated | 4 days |
Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful
Determining whether Salmonella species may be the cause of diarrhea
Reflexive testing for Salmonella species from nucleic acid amplification test-positive feces
This test is generally not useful for patients hospitalized more than 3 days because the yield from specimens from these patients is very low, as is the likelihood of identifying a pathogen that has not been detected previously.
Testing Algorithm
Delineates situations when tests are added to the initial order. This includes reflex and additional tests.
When this test is ordered, the reflex tests may be performed at an additional charge.
For more information see Laboratory Testing for Infectious Causes of Diarrhea
Clinical Information
Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test
Diarrhea may be caused by a number of agents, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals; these agents may result in similar symptoms. A thorough patient history covering symptoms, severity and duration of illness, age, travel history, food consumption, history of recent antibiotic use, and illnesses in the family or other contacts will help the healthcare provider determine the appropriate testing to be performed.
Salmonella species cause disease in 2 broad categories-gastroenteritis, and typhoid (or paratyphoid) fever (eg, Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhi, Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Paratyphi A, Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Paratyphi B [tartrate negative], and Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Paratyphi C). In the United States, gastroenteritis is most common clinical presentation.
Reference Values
Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.
No growth of Salmonella species.
Interpretation
Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results
The growth of Salmonella species identifies a potential cause of diarrhea.
Cautions
Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances
The yield of Salmonella species is reduced when specimens are delayed in transit to the laboratory (>2 hours from collection for unpreserved specimens).
Check local public health requirements, which may require submission of isolates to a public health laboratory.
Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovars Paratyphi B and Paratyphi C, which may cause paratyphoid fever, are not specifically tested for at Mayo Clinic Laboratories; they will be reported as Salmonella species not serovars Typhi/Paratyphi A.
Clinical Reference
Recommendations for in-depth reading of a clinical nature
1. Pillai DR, Griener T: Culture for Campylobacter and related organisms. In: Leber AL, Church DL, eds. Clinical Microbiology Procedures Handbook. 4th ed. ASM Press; 2016:Section 3.8.2
2. DuPont HL. Persistent diarrhea: A clinical review. JAMA. 2016;315(24):2712-2723. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.7833
3.Heymann DL: Salmonellosis. In: Control of Communicable Diseases Manual. 21st ed. APHA Press; 2022
4. Johnson LR, Gould LH, Dunn JR, et al. Salmonella infections associated with international travel: A Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) study. Foodborne Pathog Dis. 2011;8(9):1031-1037
Method Description
Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference
The fecal specimen is inoculated onto hektoen enteric agar, a selective and differential agar designed to recover Salmonella species, and the enrichment broth, selenite F. After incubation, suspect Salmonella colonies are identified using one or a combination of the following techniques: matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry, conventional biochemical tests, carbon source utilization, serologic methods, and/or nucleic acid sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Isolates are reported as Salmonella species, not serovars Paratyphi A/Typhi, Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhi, or Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Paratyphi A.(Pillai DR: Fecal culture for aerobic pathogens of gastroenteritis. In: Leber AL, Church DL, eds. Clinical Microbiology Procedures Handbook. 4th ed.ASM Press; 2016: Section 3.8.1)
PDF Report
Indicates whether the report includes an additional document with charts, images or other enriched information
Day(s) Performed
Outlines the days the test is performed. This field reflects the day that the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means that assays are performed multiple times during the day.
Monday through Friday
Report Available
The interval of time (receipt of sample at Mayo Clinic Laboratories to results available) taking into account standard setup days and weekends. The first day is the time that it typically takes for a result to be available. The last day is the time it might take, accounting for any necessary repeated testing.
Specimen Retention Time
Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded
Performing Laboratory Location
Indicates the location of the laboratory that performs the test
Fees :
Several factors determine the fee charged to perform a test. Contact your U.S. or International Regional Manager for information about establishing a fee schedule or to learn more about resources to optimize test selection.
- Authorized users can sign in to Test Prices for detailed fee information.
- Clients without access to Test Prices can contact Customer Service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Prospective clients should contact their account representative. For assistance, contact Customer Service.
Test Classification
Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR) product.
This test has been cleared, approved, or is exempt by the US Food and Drug Administration and is used per manufacturer's instructions. Performance characteristics were verified by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.
CPT Code Information
Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Clinic Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.
CPT codes are provided by the performing laboratory.
CPT codes are provided by the performing laboratory.
87046-Salmonella Culture, Stool-with isolation and preliminary examination
87077-Bacteria Identification (if appropriate)
87153-Aerobe Ident by Sequencing (if appropriate)
87077-Additional Identification Procedure (if appropriate)
87147 x 1-3-Serologic Agglut Method 1 Ident (if appropriate)
87077-Ident by MALDI-TOF mass spec (if appropriate)
LOINC® Information
Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the order and results codes of this test. LOINC values are provided by the performing laboratory.
| Test Id | Test Order Name | Order LOINC Value |
|---|---|---|
| SALMC | Salmonella Culture, F | 20955-1 |
| Result Id | Test Result Name |
Result LOINC Value
Applies only to results expressed in units of measure originally reported by the performing laboratory. These values do not apply to results that are converted to other units of measure.
|
|---|---|---|
| SALMC | Salmonella Culture, F | In Process |