Specimen Requirements

Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen. Maintain sterility and forward promptly. Specimen source is required on request form for processing. Specimen must arrive within 2 hours of collection.

Bronchial or Tracheal Aspirates

1. Aseptically collect a minimum of 5 mL of bronchial or tracheal aspirate in a sterile transtracheal aspirate tube or sterile bronchoscopy tube.

Protected Bronchial Brush Specimen

1. Send brush specimen in a screw-capped, sterile tube containing 1 mL of sterile saline.

Quantitative Respiratory Culture and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Specimen

1. Send 10 mL to 20 mL of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in a screw-capped, sterile tube (50-mL plastic tube is acceptable).

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.