ASCP BOC 33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60603 | www.ascp.org/boc | Revised: July 2023 | Page 9 of 15
II. ANALYTIC PROCEDURES FOR BACTERIOLOGY
A. Blood and Bone Marrow
1. Specimen sources (e.g., peripheral,
intravenous catheters)
2. Continuous-monitoring systems
3. Rapid identification/resistance detection
methods
4. Species comprising skin flora and clinical
significance
5. Colony morphology and identification of
major pathogens (e.g., Staphylococcus
aureus, other Staphylococcus spp. including
coagulase-negative staphylococci, beta-
hemolytic streptococci, Enterococcus spp.,
Candida spp., Streptococcus pneumoniae,
Acinetobacter baumannii,
Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp.)
6. Common agents of endocarditis
7. Agents of bone marrow infection (e.g.,
Brucella spp., Salmonella spp.)
8. Organism pathogenicity (e.g., etiology,
transmission, virulence mechanisms)
B. Cerebrospinal Fluid
1. Specimen sources (e.g., lumbar puncture,
shunt, reservoir)
2. Colony morphology and identification of
major pathogens associated with acute
meningitis (e.g., Streptococcus pneumoniae,
Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria
meningitidis, Escherichia coli, Listeria
monocytogenes, Enterobacteriaceae,
Staphylococcus aureus, beta-hemolytic
streptococci)
3. Common agents of shunt infections (e.g.,
other Staphylococcus spp. including
coagulase-negative staphylococci,
Corynebacterium spp., Propionibacterium
spp., Cutibacterium spp.)
4. Correlation with other laboratory results
(e.g., glucose, protein, cell count)
5. Direct detection and molecular methods
6. Organism pathogenicity (e.g., etiology,
transmission, virulence mechanisms)
C. Body Fluids from Normally Sterile Sites
1. Specimen sources (e.g., pleural, peritoneal,
pericardial, vitreous and aqueous humor,
synovial, amniotic)
2. Indigenous organisms associated with
mucosal surfaces and skin
3. Colony morphology and identification of
major pathogens (e.g., Streptococcus
pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae,
Neisseria spp., Escherichia coli, Listeria
monocytogenes, Enterobacteriaceae,
Staphylococcus aureus, beta-hemolytic
streptococci, Enterococcus spp.,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter
spp., Clostridium perfringens, Bacteroides
fragilis group)
4. Molecular methods
5. Organism pathogenicity (e.g., etiology,
transmission, virulence mechanisms)
D. Lower Respiratory
1. Specimen sources (e.g., sputum,
endotracheal aspirate, bronchoalveolar
lavage, bronchial wash, bronchial brush)
2. Significance of quantitative and semi-
quantitative reporting of results
3. Species comprising oral flora colony and
Gram stain morphology
4. Colony morphology and identification of
major pathogens
5. Direct detection and molecular methods
(e.g., Streptococcus pyogenes, Bordetella
pertussis)
6. Organism pathogenicity (e.g., etiology,
transmission, virulence mechanisms)
E. Upper Respiratory
1. Specimen sources (e.g., throat,
nasopharynx, middle ear, sinus)
2. Indigenous flora colony and Gram stain
morphology
3. Colony morphology and identification of
major pathogens
4. Direct detection and molecular methods
(e.g., Streptococcus pyogenes, Bordetella
pertussis)
5. Organism pathogenicity (e.g., etiology,
transmission, virulence mechanisms)