Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens: 
Acceptable Specimens:
Aspirate, biopsy, body fluid, or tissue

Unacceptable Specimens:

Gastric contents, stool, voided or catheterized urine, nose expectorated sputum, throat, tonsil, nasopharyngeal, bronchial, tracheal, ear, sinus, gingival, vaginal, cervical, or urethral swab

Preferred:

Biopsy or Tissue

1. Tissue is the specimen of choice. Specimen collected with swab is the least desirable. Submit tissue in a sterile, wide mouth container.

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), hospital identifcation number or date of birth, date and time of collection, and source of specimen.

3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
4. Causes for rejection:

A. Inadequately labeled specimen
B. Improper container

C. Insufficient specimen volume
Note: 1. Specimen source is required.

2. Deliver specimen to the Microbiology Laboratory promptly to enhance chances of isolation of fastidious microorganisms.

3. Be sure to submit a second specimen collected for aerobic studies if a swab was used for the anaerobic culture.

4. Whenever possible, bacteriologic examinations should be carried out before antibiotic therapy has been instituted.

Alternate:

Aspirate or Body Fluid

1. Keep body fluid and aspirate in the syringe they were originally collected in if the needle is removed. Submit aspirated or tissue specimen whenever possible. Specimen collected with swab is the least desirable.

2. Label syringe with patient’s name (first and last), hospital identification number or date of birth, date and time of collection, and source of specimen.

3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.

4. Causes for rejection:

A. Inadequately labeled specimen
B. Improper container

C. Insufficient specimen volume
Note: 1. Specimen source is required.

2. Deliver specimen to the Microbiology Laboratory promptly to enhance chances of isolation of fastidious microorganisms.

3. Be sure to submit a second specimen collected for aerobic studies if a swab was used for the anaerobic culture.

4. Whenever possible, bacteriologic examinations should be carried out before antibiotic therapy has been instituted.

Swab

1. Use a VACUTAINER Brand Anaerobic Specimen Collection Kit. Peel apart package, and collect specimen as ordered by physician. Submit aspirated or tissue specimen whenever possible. Specimen collected with swab is the least desirable.

2. Specimen may be collected using swab. Replace swab, and push down gently on plastic plunger forcing inner glass tube into larger glass tube. Plunger should be flush with rubber stopper.

3. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), hospital identification number or date of birth, date and time of collection, and source of specimen.

4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
5. Causes for rejection:

A. Inadequately labeled specimen
B. Improper container

C. Insufficient specimen volume
Note: 1.Specimen source is required.

2. Deliver specimen to the Microbiology Laboratory promptly to enhance chances of isolation of fastidious microorganisms.

3. Be sure to submit a second specimen collected for aerobic studies if a swab was used for the anaerobic culture.

4. Whenever possible, bacteriologic examinations should be carried out before antibiotic therapy has been instituted.