Specimen Requirements

Acceptable sources include:

• Superficial Wound
• Deep Wound
• Abscess
• Aspirate
• Genital
• Bone
• Cath Tip
• Drainage
• Body Fluid
• Incision
• Tissue
• Eye
• Ear

Wound:

 

Specimen Type: Wound, Deep or Superficial

Container/Tube: ESwab collection kit

 

 

Specimen Volume: Adequate amount

Collection Instructions:

1. Prepare site, wash wound margins well with antiseptic soap, and rinse with sterile saline.
2. Break surface of wound. Pass ESwab deep into abscess and sample lesion’s advancing edge, taking care to avoid contamination with other normal flora.
3. Aseptically unscrew and remove the cap from the tube.
4. Insert the ESwab into the tube and break the swab shaft at the breakpoint indicated by the colored line marked on the swab shaft. Discard the remaining broken portion of the swab shaft. Replace cap on the tube and secure tightly.
5. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), date, actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

 

Body Fluids:

 

Specimen Type: Body Fluid: abdominal, ascites, bile, pericardial, peritoneal, pleural fluid, synovial fluid, serous fluid, or closed abscess.

Container/Tube: Screw-capped, sterile container or anaerobic transport vial*

*Test MICR0009 Culture Bacterial, Anaerobic  must also be ordered when submitting anaerobic transport media.

  Acceptable: Syringe (needle removed)

Specimen Volume: Entire specimen

Collection Instructions:

1. Disinfect overlaying skin with chlorhexidine gluconate.
2. Using needle and syringe, aspirate fluid.
3. Transfer entire volume of aspirated fluid to container, or leave in syringe.
4. If submitting specimen in syringe, remove needle and cap syringe.
5. Label vial/syringe with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection.

Specimen Rejection:

1. Specimen in anticoagulant is not acceptable. EDTA and lithium heparin have antibacterial properties and are not suitable for specimen collection. Sodium heparin is acceptable for culture. A disclaimer will be added “specimen received in anticoagulated tube, culture results may be compromised, please interpret results with caution.”
2. Syringe with a needle attached will be rejected.
3. Specimen source is required.

 

Tissue:

 

Specimen Type: Tissue biopsy

Container/Tube: Screw-capped, sterile container or anaerobic transport vial*

*Test MICR0009 Culture Bacterial, Anaerobic  must also be ordered when submitting anaerobic transport media.

Specimen Volume: Entire specimen

Collection Instructions:

1. Aseptically collect tissue by surgical excision.
2. Transfer tissue to a screw-capped, sterile container.
3. Label vial/container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

 

Eye:

 

Specimen Type: Conjunctiva

Container/Tube: ESwab collection kit

Specimen Volume: Adequate amount

Collection Instructions:

Note: Specimen should be collected by the patient care area.  Collect specimen before the application of topical anesthetics.

1. With ESwab, collect purulent material from surface of lower conjunctival sac and inner canthus of eye.

2. Insert the swab into the tube and break the swab shaft at the breakpoint indicated by the colored line marked on the swab shaft. Discard the remaining broken portion of the swab shaft. Replace cap on the tube and secure tightly.

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

Note: When handling the ESwab stick, the collector must not touch the area below the pink breakpoint indication line (the area from the line to the tip of the nylon flocked swab). This can lead to culture contamination and invalid test results.

 

Specimen Type: Corneal scraping

Container/Tube: Media plates

Call Bozeman Health Laboratory Services at 406-414-2116 to obtain culture media plates.

Specimen Volume: Adequate amount

Collection Instructions:

Note: An ophthalmologist should obtain scrapings of cornea, ulcers, or lesions, with a heat-sterilized, platinum spatula.

1. Instill topical anesthetics.
2. Inoculate specimen directly to media plates.
3. Label plates with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

 

Genital:

 

Specimen Type: Cervix or endocervix

Collection Container/Tube: ESwab

Submission Container/Tube: ESwab transport tube

Specimen Volume: Adequate amount

Collection Instructions:

1. Do not use lubricant on speculum.
2. Visualize cervix with a speculum.
3. Remove excess mucus, blood, and/or examination lubricants from cervix with separate swab and discard.
4. Insert Eswab into endocervical canal.
5. Gently rotate swab clockwise for 10 to 30 seconds in endocervical canal and cervix to ensure adequate sampling.
6. Withdraw swab carefully; avoid any contact with vaginal mucosa.
7. Insert the swab into the tube and break the swab shaft at the breakpoint indicated by the colored line marked on the swab shaft. Discard the remaining broken portion of the swab shaft. Replace cap on the tube and secure tightly.

8. Label tube/vial with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

 

Specimen Type: Vaginal

Collection Container/Tube: ESwab

Submission Container/Tube: ESwab transport tube

Specimen Volume: Adequate amount

Collection Instructions:

1. Do not use lubricant on speculum.
2. Insert Eswab into vaginal canal.
3. Gently rotate swab clockwise for 10 to 30 seconds in vaginal canal to ensure adequate sampling. Withdraw swab.
4. Insert the swab into the tube and break the swab shaft at the breakpoint indicated by the colored line marked on the swab shaft. Discard the remaining broken portion of the swab shaft. Replace cap on the tube and secure tightly.

5. Label tube/vial with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

 

Specimen Type: Urethra

Container/Tube: Male Urethral Swab

Specimen Volume: Adequate amount

Collection Instructions:

1. Patient should not have urinated for at least 1 hour prior to specimen collection.
2. Insert small-tipped specimen swab 2 cm to 4 cm into urethra and rotate swab for 3 to 5 seconds to ensure adequate sampling.
3. Return swab to transport tube.
4. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

 

Ear:

 

Specimen Type: External ear

Container/Tube: ESwab

Specimen Volume: Entire specimen
Collection Instructions:

1. Specimen to be collected by area of patient care.
2. Use a moistened swab to remove any debris or crust from ear canal.
3. Using ESwab, rotate firmly in outer canal. For otitis externa,vigorous swabbing is required.  Surface swab may miss streptococcal cellulitis.
4. Insert the swab into the tube and break the swab shaft at the breakpoint indicated by the colored line marked on the swab shaft. Discard the remaining broken portion of the swab shaft. Replace cap on the tube and secure tightly.
5. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

 

Specimen Type: Internal (Ruptured Eardrum)

Container/Tube: ESwab

 

Specimen Volume: Entire specimen
Collection Instructions:

1. Insert auditory speculum in ear canal.
2. Using ESwab, collect fluid specimen from eardrum or beyond.

3. Insert the ESwab into the tube and break the swab shaft at the breakpoint indicated by the colored line marked on the swab shaft. Discard the remaining broken portion of the swab shaft. Replace cap on the tube and secure tightly.

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

Specimen Type: Internal (Intact Eardrum)

Container/Tube: Syringe (needle removed), screw-capped, sterile container or anaerobic transport vial*

*Test MICR0009 Culture Bacterial, Anaerobic  must also be ordered when submitting anaerobic transport media.

Specimen Volume: Entire specimen
Collection Instructions:

1. Tympanocentesis is reserved for complicated, recurrent, or chronic persistent otitis media.
2. Cleanse external canal with soap solution.
3. Specimen should be collected by a physician trained in syringe aspiration technique.
4. Place specimen in vial or container or remove needle from syringe and cap.
5. Label vial/container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

 

Catheter Tip:

 

Specimen Type: Catheter Tip:

Arterial line, central line, central venous pressure, intravenous, Hickman-Broviac, hyperalimentation, peripheral, Swan-Ganz, or umbilical

Container/Tube: Screw-capped sterile container

Specimen Volume: 5 cm

Collection Instructions:

1. Specimen is collected by patient care area.
2. Cleanse skin around catheter with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Allow to dry.
3. Aseptically remove catheter being careful to avoid contamination with normal flora from skin or other body surfaces.
4. Aseptically cut off 5 cm of distal tip of catheter (including area directly beneath skin), and place it directly into container.
5. Label container with patient’s name, identification number, date and time of collection, and type of specimen.

Additional Information: Specimen source (type of catheter tip) is required. Specimen must arrive as soon as possible after collection. This test checks for growth only, unless blood cultures are positive.

Specimen Rejection: Urinary Foley catheter