Specimen Requirements

Specimen source is required.

 

Acceptable Specimens: Abscess, aspirate, bone marrow, bronchial brush (protected), bronchial aspirate or washing, bronchoalveolar lavage, cervical, hair, nail scrapings, pus, skin scrapings, spinal fluid, sputum (expectorated or induced), stool, tissue, tracheal aspirate, urine (catheterized or clean-catch, midstream), or vaginal

 

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

 

Specimen Type: Abscess, aspirate, pus

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: Entire collection

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

 

Specimen Type: Bone marrow

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: 1 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Decontaminate skin with povidone iodine.
2. Aseptically collect specimen by sterile percutaneous aspiration into a heparinized syringe to prevent clotting.
3. Transfer bone marrow to sterile container.
4. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

 

Specimen Type: Bronchial brush (protected)

Container/Tube: Sterile vial containing 1 mL of sterile saline

Specimen Volume: 1 mL

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

 

Specimen Type: Bronchial or tracheal aspirate

Container/Tube: Sterile transtracheal aspirate tube or sterile bronchoscopy tube

Specimen Volume: A minimum of 5 mL

Collection Instructions: 

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

 

Specimen Type: Bronchoalveolar lavage or bronchial washing

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: A minimum of 5 mL

Collection Instructions: 

1. Aseptically collect specimen.

2. Avoid contaminating bronchoscope with tap water.
3. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
Additional Information: Saprophytic mycobacteria may produce false-positive culture or smear results.

 

Specimen Type: Cervical or vaginal

Container/Tube: Large Culturette swab in sterile transport tube

Specimen Volume: Swab

Collection Instructions: 

1. Obtain specimen from infected site.
2. Insert swab into vagina or swab endocervix.
3. Place swab in transport tube.
4. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
Additional Information: Procedure is performed primarily for identification of Candida species.

 

Specimen Type: Hair

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: At least 10-12

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

 

Specimen Type: Nail scrapings

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: Entire collection

Collection Instructions: 

1. Cleanse nail with 70% alcohol.
2. Scrape outer surface of nail and discard.
3. Collect scrapings from deeper, diseased areas of nail.
4. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

 

Specimen Type: Skin scrapings

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: Entire collection

Collection Instructions: 

1. Cleanse skin with 70% alcohol.
2. Scrape advancing edge of lesion with a sterile, glass slide.
3. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

 

Specimen Type: Spinal fluid

Container/Tube: Sterile vial

Specimen Volume: 1-2 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Submit spinal fluid from third tube collected in a series of 3.
2. Label each vial with the patient’s name (first and last), medical record number, date and actual time of collection, type of specimen, and order in which tubes were drawn.

 

Specimen Type: Sputum, early-morning, expectorated

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: 1-2 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Have patient remove dentures.

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 which may inhibit growth of mycobacteria.

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

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

5. Nasal secretion, saliva, or 24-hour collection is not acceptable.

 

Specimen Type: Sputum, early-morning, induced

Container/Tube: Sterile container

Specimen Volume: 5-10 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Induce cough by inhalation of sterile, hypertonic saline, and collect expectorated material.

2. Avoid sputum contamination with nebulizer reservoir water.

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

Additional Information: 

1. Indicate on request form if specimen is induced sputum, as these watery specimens resemble saliva and risk rejection as inadequate.

2. Saprophytic mycobacteria in tap water may produce false-positive culture or smear results.

 

Specimen Type: Stool, fresh, random

Container/Tube: Tightly-sealing container free of contamination with urine, residual soap, or disinfectants

Specimen Volume: 1 g

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

3. Do not immerse in saline or other fluid, or wrap in gauze. Specimen submitted in formalin is not acceptable.

 

Preferred

Specimen Type: Clean-catch, midstream urine
Container/Tube: Sterile urine container

Specimen Volume: 5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. See Urine for Culture in Urine Collection in Special Instructions for clean-catch, midstream urine specimen collection instructions.

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

3. 24-hour urine specimen is not acceptable.

 

Alternate

Specimen Type: Catheterized urine

Container/Tube: Sterile urine container

Specimen Volume: 5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Discard first few milliliters of urine from catheter to wash out any organisms that may have lodged in catheter tip during transit through urethra.
2. Cleanse catheter with an alcohol sponge, puncture with sterile needle, and collect urine in sterile syringe. Urine may also be collected from soft rubber connector between catheter and collecting tube.

3. Transfer urine into sterile urine container. Mix well.

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

Additional Information:

1. This procedure should be restricted to patients unable to produce a midstream specimen, and it should be performed aseptically to avoid introducing nosocomial infection.

2. Avoid sending urine that has remained stagnant in catheter tubing for any length of time. Do not send catheter bag urine except in the case of neonates or young infants when special precautions have been taken, and avoid sending urine from catheters that have been in place longer than 5 to 9 days.

3. Foley catheter tips are unsuitable for culture because they are invariably contaminated with urethral organisms.