Specimen Requirements

Label container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. Specimen source and suspected fungal species are required on request form for processing.

Abscesses, Aspirates, or Pus

1. Submit specimen in a screw-capped, sterile container.

Bone or Bone Marrow

1. Decontaminate skin with povidone iodine.
2. 1 mL of bone marrow collected by sterile percutaneous aspiration in a heparinized syringe to prevent clotting.
3. Transfer to an aerobic bottle.

Cervical and Vaginal Specimen

Procedure is performed primarily for identification of Candida species.

1. Obtain specimen from infected site.
2.  Insert a large culture transport swab into vagina or swab endocervix.
3. Place swab back into swab cylinder.

Gastric Washings

1. Place a series of 3 gastric washings in separate screw-capped, sterile containers.

Hair

1. Send at least 10 to 12 hairs in a screw-capped, sterile container.

Nails

1. Wipe the nail with 70% alcohol.
2. Scrape outer surface of nail and discard.
3. Collect scraping from deeper, diseased areas of nail and place in a screw-capped, sterile container.

Skin Scrapings

1. Clean skin with 70% alcohol.
2. Scrape advancing edge of lesion with a sterile glass slide into a screw-capped, sterile container.

Spinal Fluid

1. Submit 1 mL to 2 mL of spinal fluid in a screw-capped, sterile vial.
2. Tubes should be numbered in sequence with #1 representing first portion of specimen obtained. The second tube collected during lumbar puncture is most suitable for culture, as skin contaminants from puncture usually wash out with fluid collected in first tube.

Sputum

1. Collect a first-morning, “deep-cough” sputum specimen in a screw-capped, sterile container. Do not add alcohol or preservatives.
2. Cough induction by inhalation of a saline aerosol is acceptable.
3. 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.
4. Have patient remove dentures.
5. Instruct patient to take a deep breath, hold it momentarily, then cough deeply and vigorously into container, and collect 5 mL to 10 mL of discharged material.

Stool

1. Collect 1 g of fresh, random stool in a tightly-sealing container free of contamination with urine, residual soap, or disinfectants.

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

Urine

5 mL of urine from a first-morning specimen passed on 3 consecutive days. Collect specimen as follows:

Catheterized Specimen

1.  Avoid sending urine that has remained stagnant in catheter tubing for any length of time, do not send catheter bag urine, and avoid sending urine from catheters that have been in place longer than 5 to 9 days.
2. Clean catheter with an alcohol sponge, puncture with sterile needle, and collect in sterile syringe.
3. Pour urine into a screw-capped, sterile container. Mix well.

Clean-Catch, Midstream Specimen

1. Collect a clean-catch, midstream urine specimen following Specimen Collection Requirements.