Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Acceptable Specimens:

nasopharyngeal, nose, or throat

Nasopharyngeal

1. Obtain specimen from infected site.
2. Insert culture swab into nasopharynx.

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.

6. Causes for rejection:
A. Inadequately labeled specimen
B. Improper container
C. Insufficient specimen volume
Note:

1. Specimen source is required.

2. Whenever possible, bacteriological examinations should be carried out before antibiotic therapy is instituted.

Nose

1. Obtain specimen from infected site.
2. Insert culture swab into nose.

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.

6. Causes for rejection:
A. Inadequately labeled specimen
B. Improper container
C. Insufficient specimen volume
Note:

1. Specimen source is required.

2. Whenever possible, bacteriological examinations should be carried out before antibiotic therapy is instituted.

Throat

1. Obtain specimen using a culture transport swab.
2. Remove cap and swab from tube.
3. Tilt patient’s head back to assist in opening of mouth as wide as possible.
4. Depress tongue with a tongue depressor so swab doesn’t touch oral mucosa or tongue.
5. If patient has complained of 1 spot being sore, swab that area well.
6. In 1 continuous motion:
A. Swab 1 tonsillar area up then down.
B. Move to back of throat as far down as possible and swab there.
C. Move to other tonsillar area and swab.
D. Swab behind uvula, and remove swab.
7. Return swab to sterile culture transport tube, and crush ampule to ensure specimen preservation.
8. 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.
9. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
10. Causes for rejection:
A. Inadequately labeled specimen
B. Improper container
C. Insufficient specimen volume
Note:

1. Specimen source is required.

2. Whenever possible, bacteriological examinations should be carried out before antibiotic therapy is instituted.
3. Throat cultures for Corynebacterium diptheriae are collected on Culturettes and submitted to reference laboratory. Keep swab at ambient temperature.