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HelpTest ID SALMC Salmonella Culture, Feces
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.
Specimen Required
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.
Useful For
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
| 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
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
Conventional Culture
Reporting Name
Salmonella Culture, FSpecimen Type
FecalSpecimen Minimum Volume
1 mL
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fecal | Ambient (preferred) | 4 days | |
| Refrigerated | 4 days |
Reject Due To
| Unpreserved feces ECOFIX preservative Formalin or PVA fixative |
Reject |
Clinical Information
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
No growth of Salmonella species.
Interpretation
The growth of Salmonella species identifies a potential cause of diarrhea.
Cautions
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
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
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)
Day(s) Performed
Monday through Friday
Report Available
3 to 5 daysTest Classification
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
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)