Salmonella titer

Sample type:

1. Blood sample (blood culture)

2. Urine sample

3. Stool sample

Uses:

Indicates acute infection, helps to identify the type of enteric fever.

Precaution:

• Faces or a rectal swab, blood, urine, and sterile site swabs collected into a sterile container.

• Faecal specimens should be collected in the early stages (preferably within 4 days of onset),

• Faecal specimens should be transported to the laboratory as soon as possible, preferably in less than 4h.

Interfering factors:

In contrast to E. coli, Salmonella does not produce indole because it does not harbor tna A, which encodes the enzyme responsible for tryptophan metabolism.

Pre analytical errors

a) Missing sample and/or test request

b) Wrong or missing identification

c) Contamination from infusion route

d) Hemolysis, clotted, and insufficient samples

e) Inappropriate containers

f) Inappropriate blood to anticoagulant ratio

Corrective action:

• Transported specimen to the laboratory as soon as possible or can be stored at room temperature for 24h4.

• Ideally, faucal specimens should be examined as soon as they are received in the laboratory but if not processed immediately, they should be refrigerated.

Post analytical errors:

1- Failure to report test results

2-delay in reporting