Newcastle Laboratories

Intraocular investigations (corneal scrapes and associated eye samples)

Clinical Background:

Corneal scrapings and intraocular fluids will be collected by an ophthalmic surgeon. Because of the small amounts of material involved, inoculation of plates and preparation of slides may need to b...

Corneal scrapings and intraocular fluids will be collected by an ophthalmic surgeon. Because of the small amounts of material involved, inoculation of plates and preparation of slides may need to be done at the patients’ side. Laboratories should agree a protocol for the collection of specimens, inoculation of media, and transport to the laboratory.

Read More

Test Details

  • Discipline:

    Microbiology & Virology Services

    Microbiology & Virology Services

  • Specimen Container Adult:

    Eye kit containing the following can be obtained from Microbiology: Blood agar,  Chocolate agar,  Sabouraud agar,  Acanthoamaeba agar and slides for Gram stain investigation.

    Eye kit containing the following can be obtained from Microbiology: Blood agar,  Chocolate agar,  Sabouraud agar,  Acanthoamaeba agar and slides for Gram stain investigation.

  • Specimen Container Paediatric:

    Eye kit containing the following can be obtained from Microbiology: Blood agar,  Chocolate agar,  Sabouraud agar,  Acanthoamaeba agar and slides for Gram stain investigation.

    Eye kit containing the following can be obtained from Microbiology: Blood agar,  Chocolate agar,  Sabouraud agar,  Acanthoamaeba agar and slides for Gram stain investigation.

  • Special Requirement:

    Send to laboratory as quickly as possible. Inform laboratory that sample has been taken.

    Send to laboratory as quickly as possible. Inform laboratory that sample has been taken.

  • Sample Stability:

    For amoeba only, process within 8 hours.

    For amoeba only, process within 8 hours.

  • Transport Requirements:

    Standard

    Standard

  • Quality Assurance:

    BMS Micro Ltd(Acanthamoeba), UKNEQAS general bacteriology.

    BMS Micro Ltd(Acanthamoeba), UKNEQAS general bacteriology.

  • Interpretation:

    Interpretive comments are added to report where applicable.

    Interpretive comments are added to report where applicable.

  • Factors Affecting Result:

    Inoculation of cultures should be immediate, if insufficient culture should be prioritised

    Inoculation of cultures should be immediate, if insufficient culture should be prioritised

  • Referenced Documents:

    Standards of Microbiology Investigations (SMI B 2)

    Standards of Microbiology Investigations (SMI B 2)

Availability:

Done daily in core hours.

Turn Around:

3 days routine bacterial culture.

5 days fungal culture

7 days Acanthamoeba culture.

Urgent Gram stain available on request.

View all tests