Specimen Requirements

Specimen must arrive within 24 hours of collection.

 

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

 

Aspirate

1. Submit 1 mL of aspirated body fluid in a luer-tip capped syringe or a screw-capped, sterile container.

2. Label syringe/container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Blood

1. Draw 10 mL of blood in a dark, green-top (sodium heparin) tube or a light, green-top (lithium heparin) tube. Do NOT centrifuge.

2. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Body Fluid

1. Submit 15 mL (minimum volume: 10 mL) of body fluid in a luer-tip capped syringe or a screw-capped, sterile container.

2. Label syringe/container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Bone

1. Submit bone specimen in a screw-capped, sterile container without fixative or preservative.

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Bone Marrow

1. Obtain 1 mL of bone marrow in a green-top (heparin) tube.

2. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Bronchial Brushing

1. Submit bronchial brushing in a screw-capped, sterile container.

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Bronchoalveolar Lavage or Washing

1. Submit ≥5 mL of bronchoalveolar lavage or washing in a screw-capped, sterile container.

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Gastric Lavage Fluid

Specimen must arrive within 2 hours of collection.

1. Submit 5 to 10 mL of gastric lavage fluid in a screw-capped, sterile container. Collect specimen in the morning soon after patient awakens in order to obtain sputum swallowed during sleep.

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Lymph Node

1. Obtain portion of a lymph node specimen in a screw-capped, sterile container without fixative or preservative.

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Skin Lesion

1. Obtain biopsy specimen from infected site. A swab in transport media is acceptable only if a biopsy cannot be obtained. 

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Spinal Fluid

1. Submit ≥2 mL of spinal fluid in a screw-capped, sterile container.

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Sputum
1. Aseptically collect 5 to 10 mL of sputum from an early morning collection for 3 consecutive days and place in a screw-capped, sterile container. Do not pool specimens.
2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.

4. Provide a requisition for each sample for date of collection.

Note: 1. Specimen source is required.

2. For follow-up of patients on therapy, collect at weekly intervals beginning 3 weeks after initiation of therapy.

 

Stool

1. Submit >1 g of stool in sterile, wax-free, disposable container.

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Tissue

1. Submit 1g of tissue in a screw-capped, sterile container with 2 mL of saline. Tissue in formalin is not acceptable.
2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Transtracheal Aspirate

1. Submit 1 mL of aspirated body fluid in a luer-tip capped syringe or a screw-capped, sterile container.

2. Label syringe/container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.

 

Urine

1. Collect 40 mL from a first-morning, random urine collection. No preservative.

2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.

3. Send specimen refrigerated.

4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Note: Specimen source is required. Specify source as bladder wash, clean-catch, catheter, cystoscopy, or suprapubic aspirate.

 

Wound

1. Aseptically collect 1 mL of a wound specimen in a luer-tip capped syringe or a screw-capped, sterile container.  A swab is acceptable only if wound aspirate or biopsy cannot be obtained.

2. Label syringe/container with patient’s name (first and last), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature.
Note: Specimen source is required.