This term refers to the identification of microorganisms using a method of testing other than a culture. Culture based testing requires inoculation of a specimen to culture media, incubation, and observation for actual growth of microorganisms. Depending on the organism identified, culturing can take several days to weeks for a final report. In contrast, non-culture-based testing (NCT) methods generally provide faster results, which can assist with early diagnosis and tailoring of antimicrobial therapy. Examples of non-culture-based testing include, but are not limited to, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) as well as DNA sequencing.