Specimen Requirements

Specimen source is required.

Extreme care must be taken to avoid contamination by anaerobic normal flora and overgrowth by coexisting aerobic bacteria.

Acceptable Specimens: Abscess (closed), body fluid, lower respiratory secretion (obtained by percutaneous transtracheal aspiration), sinus tract, tissue, urine (obtained by suprapubic aspiration by needle and syringe), uterine cavity, or wound (deep)

Unacceptable Specimens: Catheter tip, cervical secretion, fecal contamination, gingival or nasopharyngeal swab, prostatic secretion, single-channel bronchoscope or gastric washing, skin ulcer, sputum, superficial skin lesion, surgical drain site, throat, vaginal secretion, or voided urine

Note: Aerobic Culturette is not acceptable for recovery of anaerobes.

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Specimen Type: Abscess (closed)

Container/Tube: Anaerobic specimen collector

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Aseptically aspirate specimen using a needle and syringe.
2. Transfer specimen to an anaerobic specimen collector.

3. Label specimen with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

Specimen Type: Body fluid

Container/Tube: Capped syringe or anaerobic specimen collector

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Disinfect site with alcohol if collecting by needle and syringe.

2. Aseptically aspirate body fluid.

3. Cap syringe and transport immediately. If not in syringe, transfer fluid to an anaerobic specimen collector.

4. Label specimen with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

Specimen Type: Lower respiratory tract secretion

Container/Tube: Anaerobic specimen collector

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Aseptically collect lower respiratory secretion by percutaneous transtracheal aspiration.
2. Transfer specimen to an anaerobic specimen collector.

3. Label specimen with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

Specimen Type: Sinus tract, uterine cavity, wound (deep)

Container/Tube: Anaerobic specimen collector

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Aseptically collect specimen by syringe aspiration using a plastic intravenous type of catheter threaded into infected site.
2. Soft tissue infections may be cultured by injecting 1 to 2 mL of sterile saline into infected site, and then withdrawing saline and tissue juice into syringe.
3. Transfer specimen to an anaerobic specimen collector.

4. Label specimen with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

Specimen Type: Swab from abscess cavity

Container/Tube: Swab in anaerobic specimen collector

Specimen Volume: Swab

Collection Instructions:

1. Aseptically collect specimen and immediately place in an anaerobic specimen collector.

2. Label specimen with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

Specimen Type: Tissue

Container/Tube: Sterile container without fixative or preservative

Specimen Volume: 1 g

Collection Instructions:

1. Aseptically collect tissue by surgical incision. Select caseous portion if available.
2. Do not immerse in saline or other fluid, or wrap in gauze.
3. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

4. Specimen submitted in formalin is not acceptable.

Specimen Type: Urine, suprapubic needle aspiration of bladder

Container/Tube: Sterile transport vial

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Aseptically collect urine.

2. Transfer specimen to transport vial.
3. Label vial with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.