Specimen Requirements

Specimen must be received in laboratory within 24 hours of collection. 

Specimen source is required.

If there is a special organism(s) to be tested for, indicate on request form.

Refrigerated specimens are not suitable for isolation of Neisseria species.

Acceptable Specimens: Wound aspirate or swab, Tissue

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Specimen Type: Wound aspirate (preferred)

Container/Tube: Screw-capped, sterile container

Specimen Volume: Entire collection

Collection Instructions:
1. Prepare site: wash wound margins well with surgical soap followed by 70% alcohol.
2. Aspirate deepest portion of lesion or sinus with sterile needle and syringe or catheter.
3. Transfer aspirate to sterile container.
4. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, and date and actual time of collection. Specimen should be labeled as to the specific anatomic source and should be labeled to distinguish between “superficial” and “deep/surgical” specimens. Do not label only as “wound.”

For best results specimen should arrive within 1 hour of collection, unless in transport system (culturette).

Specimen Type: Wound swab (alternate)

Container/Tube: ESwab specimen collector is preferred for both aerobes and anaerobes; swab transport system (Culturette) in sterile transport tube is alternate if acceptable for anaerobes.

Specimen Volume: Swab

Collection Instructions:

1. Prepare site: wash wound margins well with surgical soap followed by 70% alcohol.

2. A closed abscess is the specimen site of choice. For most open lesions and abscesses, remove the superficial flora by decontaminating the skin before collecting a specimen from the advancing margin or base.
3. Pass swab into fresh purulent drainage from center of wound, avoiding surrounding skin. It may be necessary either to separate wound margins with thumb and forefinger of 1 hand (wearing a sterile glove) or make a small lance in a closed abscess before extending tip of swab deeply into wound with other hand.
4. Place swab in transport tube.

5. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, and date and actual time of collection. Specimens should be labeled as to the specific anatomic source and should be labeled to distinguish between “superficial” and “deep/surgical” specimens. Do not label only as “wound.”