Specimen Requirements

Specimen should arrive within 24 hours of collection.

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Acceptable Specimens:

Aspirate, tissue, or wound/ulcer

Unacceptable Specimens:

Any area adjacent to mucus membrane; any area with fecal contamination; bronchoalveolar lavage, washing, or aspirate; cervical, prostatic, or vaginal secretion; gingival, nasopharyngeal, oral, or throat swab; sputum; surface material from abscess, lesion, sinus tract, ulcer, or wound; or voided urine

Aspirate

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

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

Tissue

1. Submit pea-sized tissue in a screw-capped, sterile container.

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

Wound/Ulcer

1. Aseptically collect 1 mL of a wound/ulcer specimen in a luer-tip capped syringe or a screw-capped, sterile container and place in a BBL® Anaerobic Specimen Collection Kit.

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