Pathology user information

• Antibiotic Assays
• Blood Cultures
• Chlamydia and Neisseria gonorrhoeae NAATs
• CSF samples
• Faeces and Sellotape Slides
• Fluid samples
• Fungi and Mycology: skin, nails, hair
• MRSA Screening
• Nasopharyngeal Aspirates
• Sputum
• General specimens (Swabs, Pus and miscellaneous items)
• Tuberculosis
• Urine
• Virology and Serology
• Miscellaneous samples

When collecting multiple samples from the same patient (e.g., multiple site swabs, multiple tissue samples),  Each individual sample must have its own unique order number.

Order numbers must NOT be reused for additional samples.

• Details must include
• Patient’s full name
• Unique identifier (e.g., NHS number or hospital number)
• Date and time of collection
• Site and type of specimen
• Sequence number if applicable (e.g., Sample 1 of 3)

Note:  If electronic requesting is used, ensure each sample has its own request.

When you provide a sample (such as blood, urine, or swab) for testing, you are giving your consent for our laboratory to carry out the necessary tests to support your care.

For most routine tests, we recognise that by agreeing to have the sample taken, you are giving us permission to perform the tests requested by your doctor or healthcare provider. However, if the test is more complex, carries more risks, or involves sensitive information, your doctor or healthcare provider may need to explain things in more detail and ask you to give written or verbal consent.

If you are unable to give consent in an emergency, we may still carry out urgent tests requested by your doctor or healthcare provider if they are clearly in your best interest and support your care.

Microbiology Turnaround Times (Maximum Time to First Report)

Urine Samples

• Tests: M, C&S (Microscopy*), MSU, CSU, CCU, SPA, Cystoscopy, Bag, Ileal Conduit, Nephrostomy
• Turnaround Time: 1–2 days
• Working Days: Monday to Saturday
• Schistosomes
  • Turnaround: 2 days
  • Working Days: Monday to Friday
• Legionella Urinary Antigen*
  • Turnaround: 1 day
  • Working Days: Monday to Friday

---

Respiratory Samples for M,C&S

• Sputum
  • Turnaround: 2 days
  • Working Days: Monday to Saturday
• Other Respiratory Specimens:
  Includes pleural fluid, pleural biopsy, bronchial washings, lavage, brushings, aspirate, NPA, sinus washout, ETT sample
  • Turnaround: 2 days
  • Working Days: Monday to Saturday
• Tissues (Respiratory)
  • Turnaround: 2 days
  • Working Days: Monday to Saturday
• NPA for RSV*
  • Turnaround: 1 day
  • Working Days: Monday to Sunday

---

Samples for AFB (Acid-Fast Bacilli)

• Sputum
  • Smear Report: 1 day
  • Culture Report: 6–8 weeks
  • Extended Culture: Up to 10 weeks
  • Working Days: Monday to Friday
• Sterile Sites & Other Specimens:
  Includes CSF, skin or tissue biopsies, bronchoalveolar washings, post-mortem specimens, fibreoptic bronchoscopies, gastric aspirates, urine, bone marrow, blood, bone, pleural fluid, EMU
  • Turnaround: 6–8 weeks (culture)
  • Working Days: Monday to Friday

---

Genital & Reproductive Tract Samples (GU)

• Swabs: High/Lower vaginal, Cervical, Vulval, Labial, Urethral, Penile, Sub-prepuce
• Other Samples: Placental tissue, products of conception, Pouch of Douglas fluid, Bartholin’s cyst fluid, IUCD, pre-inoculated sexual health plates
• Turnaround Time: 2 days**
• Working Days: Monday to Friday

---

Wound Samples

• Swabs: Superficial, deep wounds, eyes, ears, nose, throat, mouth, neonatal screening, cough, skin, abscess
• Turnaround: 2 days**
• Working Days: Monday to Saturday
• Pernasal (Bordetella): 7 days (Monday to Saturday)
• Gram-Negative Resistance Screens: 2 days (Monday to Saturday)
• Pus Samples: Abscess pus, drain fluids — 2 days** (Monday to Saturday)

---

MRSA Screening

• Samples: Screening swabs
• Turnaround: 1–2 days
• Working Days: Monday to Friday

---

Sterile Fluids and Tissues

• Fluids, Tissues, Tips
  • Test: M,C&S (Microscopy*)
  • Turnaround: 2 days
  • Working Days: Monday to Saturday
• CSF
  • Test: M,C&S (Microscopy*)
  • Turnaround: 2 days
  • Working Days: Monday to Sunday

---

Blood Cultures

• Positive Reports: Phoned on the day of positivity
• Negative Reports: 36–48 hours (interim report)
• Working Days: Monday to Sunday (positives), Monday to Saturday (negatives)

---

Faecal Specimens

• Routine Testing: Includes WBCs, RBCs, ova/cysts/parasites (e.g., Giardia, Entamoeba)
  • Turnaround: 2 days (negative); positives phoned on same day
  • Working Days: Monday to Friday
• Cryptosporidia: 2 days (Monday to Friday)
• Toxigenic C. difficile: Within 24 hours, positives within 1 hour of test completion (Monday to Sunday)
• Rotavirus: 2 days (Monday to Friday)

---

Other Parasitology

• Sample Types: Faeces, Sellotape slides, duodenal/jejunal aspirates, tissue, hydatid fluid, arthropods (lice, ticks), suspected leeches
• Turnaround: 2 days
• Working Days: Monday to Friday
• Scabies: Skin scrapings — 1 day (Monday to Friday)
• Acanthamoeba: Corneal biopsies, scrapes, contact lenses — 7 days (Monday to Friday)

---

Mycology

• Samples: Skin scrapings, nail clippings
  • Microscopy: 5 days***
  • Culture: 21 days***
  • Working Days: Monday to Friday

---

Antimicrobial Assays

• Gentamicin & Vancomycin: See Chemistry section (Monday to Sunday)
• Other Antibiotics: Teicoplanin, Amikacin, Tobramycin (Monday to Friday)

---

Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea

• Sample Types: Male urine, endocervical, vaginal, urethral swabs
• Turnaround: 2–4 days (depends on workload)
• Working Days: Monday to Friday

---

Serology

• HBsAg, HAV IgM, Anti-HCV*: 3 days
• HIV Ag/Ab*: 3 days
• HIV-1 Viral Load: 7 days
• ANC (Antenatal): 3 days
• Syphilis: 3 days
• VZV IgG*: 3 days
• Other Viral and Immune Serologies:
  CMV IgM/IgG, HAV IgG, Anti-HBc, Anti-HBs, Rubella IgM/IgG, EBV serologies (EBNA, VCA, EA), Measles IgG, ASO, Toxoplasma — 3 days
• Working Days: Monday to Friday

---

• Referred Samples
• Sample Types: various depending on test
• Turnaround: 2–14 days (depends on test type and reference laboratory)
• Working Days: Monday to Friday

---

Notes:

***Fungal cultures may require extended incubation; timelines are indicative

*Microscopy included when marked with an asterisk.

**Turnaround time may vary depending on sample type and workload.

Infectious Diseases in Pregnancy Screening (IDPS)

Hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis

Screening for hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis is an established component of antenatal care. It is integrated within the broader care pathway described in NICE’s Routine Antenatal Care Guideline 2021 and is part of the ANNB screening programme.

The purpose of antenatal screening is to identify maternal infection of Hepatitis B, HIV or Syphilis in early pregnancy. Ultimately antenatal screening aims to reduce potential transmission of infection from mother to child. There is an increased chance of transmission of infection from mother to child if there has been a short interval between initiation of treatment and delivery, so there is a clinical need to ensure prompt diagnosis and therefore receipt of treatment.

All pregnant women are offered testing for Hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis during their pregnancy, usually at booking. Hepatitis C testing will also be offered to those considered at risk (i.e. current or ex IVDU, transfusion pre 1990).

Antenatal bloods

Antenatal bloods (booking) are collected from pregnant women early in pregnancy, around 8-12 weeks by the midwife. Consent must be obtained from the patient for testing for HBsAg, HIV and Syphilis and indicated by the signed request form. If any tests have been declined this must be indicated on the request form by the midwife.

The virology department will perform the initial confirmation of the following tests where consent has been obtained: Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), HIV Antigen/Antibody (Ag/Ab), and Syphilis Antibody (Ab).

Samples which require further confirmation are sent to the appropriate reference laboratory – Chlamydia & Syphilis Laboratory HPA Bristol- Syphilis confirmation and Viapath Kings College, London- HIV confirmation, Hepatitis B markers.