Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Acceptable Specimens:

Bronchial washing, pleural fluid, sputum*, tissue, or transtracheal aspirate

*Sputum is acceptable but isolation of Legionella organism is less likely than with other specimens.

Bronchial Washing

1. Submit bronchial 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. Send specimen refrigerated.

4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note: Specimen source is required.

Pleural Fluid

1. Submit 1 mL of pleural 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. Send specimen refrigerated.

4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note: Specimen source is required.

Sputum

1. Aseptically collect 5 to 10 mL of sputum from an early-morning collection and place 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 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), specimen source, and date and time of collection.
3. Send specimen refrigerated.

4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note: 1. Specimen source is required.

2. Frozen tissue and tissue collected in paraffin-embedded tissue is also acceptable.

Transtracheal Aspirate

1. Submit 1 mL of transtracheal aspirate 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. Send specimen refrigerated.

4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note: Specimen source is required.