Discover Our Comprehensive Microbiology Test Menu: Precision Specimen Collection for Rapid, Reliable Diagnostics with Expert Care

Our dedicated laboratory team delivers advanced diagnostic testing with precision and care. Every specialist ensures reliable results, prioritizing your health and advancing patient outcomes.

Test Menu

Advancing Health Laboratories offers a robust suite of microbiology tests designed to elevate diagnostic accuracy from point-of-care to point-of-need.

Our test menu focuses on specimen collection for various cultures, PCR screens, and analyses, ensuring minimal contamination and optimal stability for accurate results.

Test Type :

Device Type :

Test Name	Source	Collection Criteria	Collection Device	Transport	Stability	Reporting Time Frame	Unacceptable Specimens
Aerobic Wound Culture	Use for superficial wounds, lesions, or ulcers. Specify anatomic source/site.	Swab of superficial wound, lesion or ulcers. If Actinomyces or other organism is highly suspected - Specify.	Aimes Gel Swab, ESwab or equivalent	Room temp	Gel Swab: 48 hours ESwab: 72 Hours	Negative in 72 Hours	Dry swabs; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; improper storage/ transportation conditions.
Aerobic/Anaerobic Wound Culture	Use for bite wounds, deep wounds, lacerations, surgical incisions, abscesses, or aspirations. Specify anatomic source/site.	Aspirate or abscess in Leak-proof sterile container. Swab of infected site.	Aimes Gel swab, ESwab or equivalent Leak-proof sterile container.	Sterile container: Room temp Swab: Room temp	Sterile container: 24 Hours Gel Swab: 48 Hours ESwab: 72 hours	Negative in 5 Days	Dry swabs; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; improper storage/transportation conditions.
Blood Culture	Indicate peripheral or line draw	Collect 2 sets. Obtain prior to antibiotic therapy whenever possible. Please indicate if antimicrobial have been given.	-8-10 cc blood in aerobic blue bottle -8-10 cc in anaerobic purple/gold bottle	Room temp, away from direct sunlight	24 hours	Negative in 5 Days	Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/ transportation conditions.
Candida auris Screen - PCR	Axila/Grain	Axilla and groin sites collected with the same swab	ESwab	Room temp, Refrigerated	Room temp - 48 Hours Refrigerated -7 days	<24 hours	Dry swabs; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/ transportation conditions.
Catheter Tip Culture	Indicate catheter location and type: Arterial line, Broviac catheter, CVC, Cook catheter, Double lumen, Fogarty Catheter, Gore-Tex graft, Hickman catheter, IJ line, PICC, Port-A-Cath, Scribner shunt, Sheldon catheter, Swan-Ganz catheter, Triple lumen, Udall catheter, UVC.	Aseptically remove catheter with sterile instrument. Using sterile scissors, cut distal end of catheter into sterile container.	Leak-proof sterile container	Room temp	-24 Hours	Negative in 48 Hours	Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection >24 hours; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Clostridium difficile C. diff - PCR	Stool	Fresh, unpreserved stool	Leak-proof sterile container	Refrigerated	Refrigerated -72 Hours	<24 hours	Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection >24 hours; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Ear Culture	Indicate Left or Right Ear; Indicate if sample is of the Outer/External Ear or Inner Ear.	External Ear: Swab of purulent drainage. Inner Ear: Tympanacentesis fluid	Aimes Gel Swab, ESwab or equivalent; Leak-proof sterile container.	Sterile container: Room temp Swab: Room temp	Sterile container: 24 Hours Gel Swab: 48 Hours ESwab: 72 hours	Negative in 72 Hours	Dry swabs; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Eye Culture	Indicate Left or Right Eye; Indicate if the sample is of the Outer Superficial Eye or Inner Eye and name the anatomical structure/location.	Superficial Eye: Swab of eyelid margin; Swab of conjunctival surface or pus; Swab of external lacrimal duct, discharge or pus. Inner Eye: Corneal scrapping or Eswab; Aqueous or Vitreous fluid in sterile container; Abscess drainage, aspirate, or tissue in sterile container.	Aimes Gel Swab, ESwab or equivalent; Leak-proof sterile container.	Sterile container: Room temp Swab: Room temp	Sterile container: 24 Hours Gel Swab: 48 Hours ESwab: 72 hours	Negative in 72 Hours	Dry swabs; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Fluid Culture	Specify anatomic source/site	Collect aseptically	Fluid in Leak-proof sterile container, or equivalent	Room temp	24 Hours	Negative in 5 Days	Fluid received in swab; Spilled specimens; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection >24 hours; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Fungal Culture	Specify Anatomic source	Tissue/Skin Scraping/Nail or other in Leak-proof sterile container; Or Swabbed site.	Leak-proof sterile container, Aimes Gel Swab, ESwab or equivalent	Room temp	Sterile container: 24 Hours Gel Swab: 48 Hours ESwab: 72 hours	Negative in 4 Weeks	Dry swabs; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens, collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Genital Male Culture	Specify source and pertinent clinical information	Swab urethra, secretions, and/or lesions	Aimes Gel Swab, ESwab or equivalent	Room temp	Gel Swab: 48 Hours ESwab: 72 hours	Negative in 72 Hours	Dry swabs; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Respiratory Culture	Specify site source	Lower Respiratory Sites: -Branchial lavages, washings, brushing, biopsies -Tracheal and endotracheal aspirations -Lung aspirations and biopsies -Expected sputum -Induced sputum Upper Respiratory Sites: -Nasopharyngeal suction, swabs, or washings; sinus.	Sputum trap; Leak-proof sterile container	Room temp	~24 Hours	Negative in 72 Hours	Specimens consisting primarily of saliva; Dry swabs; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Surgical Device Cultures	Specify anatomic source/site; Use for Prosthetic Devices, Surgical Implants, or Foreign Objects	Aseptically remove Device, Implant or Object and place in Leak-proof sterile container.	Leak-proof sterile container	Room temp	24 Hours	Negative in 5 Days	Dry swabs; Tissue in swabs; Unlabeled/ Mislabeled specimens; Collection >24 hours; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Stool Culture	Stool Culture for Salmonella and Shigella. If organisms other than Salmonella or Shigella are suspected - specify. Use preservative if shipping overnight.	1 to 2 grams freshly passed stool	Clean Container unpreserved or Cary Blaire Medium preserved	Refrigerated / Frozen	Unpreserved: Refrigerated - 24 Hours Preserved: Refrigerated - 48 Hours Preserved: Frozen immediately - 5 days	Negative in 72 Hours	Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Throat Culture	Oral cavity	Selective culture for beta hemolytic Streptococi and Arcanobaterium haemolyticum. Swab tonsillar areas vigorously. If culture is to determine presence of Yeast, order Fungus Culture.	Aimes Gel Swab, ESwab or equivalent	Room temp	Gel Swab: 48 Hours ESwab: 72 hours	Negative in 48 Hours	Dry swabs; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/ transportation conditions.
Tissue & Bone Cultures	Specify anatomic source; Use for bone & tissue cultures/biopsies.	Tissue or bone in Leak-proof sterile container	Leak-proof sterile container.	Room temp	24 hours	Negative in 5 Days	Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection >24 hours; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Urinalysis and Microscopy with reflex to Culture	Mid-stream Urine, first void of day preferred	Minimum 8.0 ml urine in UA tube along with gray top C&S urine culture tube Minimum 20 ml urine in sterile container	Preferred: Urine Analysis Preservative UA Tube along with gray top C&S Urine culture tube Also acceptable: Leak-proof sterile container	UA tube: Room temp Leak-proof sterile container: Refrigerated	UA: 72 Hours Room temp Leak-proof sterile container: 2 Hours Room temp 12 Hours Refrigerated	<24 Hours	Spilled specimens; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Urine Culture Routine & Comprehensive	Specify: Clean catch, Foley catheter, straight catheter, suprapubic, cytoscopic, kidney, or ureter. Submit separate specimens for UA and Culture, if possible.	Minimum 4.0 ml urine	Preferred: Gray top C&S w/ Boric acid Also acceptable: Leak-proof sterile container	Gray top: Room temp Refrigerated Leak-proof sterile container: Refrigerated	Gray top: 72 Hours Leak-proof sterile container: <24 Hours	Negative in 48 Hours	Spilled specimens; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Vaginal Culture	Specify source and pertinent clinical information	Swab of vagina, urethra, cervix, or discharge; aspirated endocervical or endometrial discharge.	Aimes Gel Swab, ESwab or equivalent	Room temp	Gel Swab: 48 Hours ESwab: 72 hours	Negative in 72 Hours	Dry swabs; Unlabeled/Mislabeled specimens; Collection date exceeding criteria; Incorrect collection device; Improper storage/transportation conditions.
Test Name			Collection Device

Test FAQs

How Long Does a Test Result Take?

Most tests (e.g., Blood Culture, Fluid Culture, Catheter Culture) have a stability of 24 hours, suggesting results are typically available within 24-48 hours if processed promptly.
Tests like Candida auris Screen – PCR (48h Room, 7d Refrigerated) or Stool Culture (24h-5d) may take 2-7 days, depending on preservation and lab workload.
Urinalysis and Microscopy (72h UA, 2h-12h Sterile) could yield initial results within 2-72 hours.
For precise turnaround times, please contact our support team after submitting your request, as processing varies by test complexity and volume.

How Should I Store My Sample?

Proper sample storage is essential to ensure accurate test results. Based on our Test Menu guidelines:
- Temperature: Most samples should be stored at room temperature (e.g., Candida auris Screen – PCR for 48h) or refrigerated (e.g., Blood Culture for 24h, Stool Culture for 24h-48h preserved). Some tests, like Stool Culture (5d preserved, frozen), require freezing for extended stability.
- Timeframe: Store samples within their stability period (e.g., 24h for Fluid Culture, 72h for Urinalysis UA) to avoid degradation. Check the specific test’s stability on the Test Menu for exact times.
- Container: Use the recommended collection device (e.g., Leak-proof sterile container for Fluid Culture) and avoid improper storage (e.g., dry swabs, spilled samples) as noted in the unacceptable conditions.
- Best Practice: Label samples clearly, store them in a cool, dry place or refrigerator as specified, and submit them promptly. For overnight shipping, use preservatives where indicated (e.g., Cary Blaire Medium for Stool Culture). Contact our support team for specific storage instructions or urgent cases.
Note: Storage requirements vary by test; refer to the Test Menu or contact support for details.

Can I request a Specific Test?

To request a specific test, please follow these steps:

Visit our Request Collection Devices page.

Select the desired test from the “Test Name” dropdown.
The form will automatically provide the required Collection Device, Stability, and Notes for that test.
Enter your Full Name and Email Address, then submit the request.
Our team will review your request and contact you to arrange sample collection and processing. For urgent requests, please call our support line at 754-307-3246 or email info@advancinghealthlabs.com.