Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

 

Unacceptable Specimens:

Dehydrated tissue or tissue in preservative, fecal material, corneal swab, urine from catheter drainage bag, saliva, or swab placed in anaerobic transport media 

 

Abscess or Wound Aspirate
1. Aseptically collect specimen with needle and syringe.

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

3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.

Note: 

1. Specimen source is required.

2. If a swab specimen is the only way to obtain specimen, it will be accepted.
 

Body Fluid

1. Submit 1 mL of body fluid in a screw-capped, sterile container.

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

3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Bone Marrow
1. Obtain 1 mL of bone marrow in a dark green-top (sodium heparin) or a light green-top (lithium heparin) tube.

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

3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. 
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Bronchial Washing or Tracheal Aspiration
1. Submit bronchial washing or tracheal aspiration in a screw-capped, plastic container.

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

3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Cervical and Vaginal Specimen

1. Obtain specimen from infected site.
2. Insert culture swab into vagina or swab endocervix.
3. Return swab to sterile culture transport container, and crush ampule to ensure specimen preservation.

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

5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. 
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Corneal Scraping

1. Submit corneal scraping in a sterile cup (use saline to prevent dehydration) or on a swab.
2. Return swab to sterile culture transport container, and crush ampule to ensure specimen preservation.

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

4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. 
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Ear

1. Obtain specimen from infected site.
2. Insert culture swab into ear.
3. Return swab to sterile culture transport container, and crush ampule to ensure specimen preservation.

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

5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. 
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Lesion

1. Obtain specimen from infected site.
2. Insert culture swab into lesion.
3. Return swab to sterile culture transport container, and crush ampule to ensure specimen preservation.

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

5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. 
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Sputum
1. Collect a first-morning, “deep-cough” sputum specimen in a screw-capped, sterile container. Do not add alcohol or preservatives.
2. Instruct patient to brush his/her teeth and/or rinse mouth well with water to minimize contaminating specimen with food particles, mouthwash, or oral drugs.

3. Instruct patient to take a deep breath, hold it momentarily, then cough deeply and vigorously into container, and collect 5 mL to 10 mL of discharged material.

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

5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Throat

1. Obtain specimen from infected site.
2. Insert culture swab into throat. For smear for thrush, scrape suspected area with a tongue depressor and smear on a slide.
3. Return swab to sterile culture transport container, and crush ampule to ensure specimen preservation.

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

5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Tissue
1. Aseptically collect tissue in a screw-capped, sterile culture transport container.

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

3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Urine

1. Collect a supra-pubic aspirate, catheterized, or clean-catch, first-morning specimen in a screw-capped, sterile urine container. No preservative.

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

3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.

Note: Specimen source is required.