Specimen Type:
See attached Specimen Collection Procedure for acceptable specimens.
Tube Type:
See attached Specimen Collection Procedure.
Collection Volume:
Eswab / 1.0-2.0 mL fluid or pus collected in a syringe
Cause for Rejection:
Specimen collected in nonsterile container. No swab in Eswab transport tube. Unacceptable material: BAL (except OR specimens), Cervical secretions, Endotracheal secretions, Lochia secretions, NPH swab, Perineal swab, Prostatic or seminal fluid, Sinus washings, Sputum, Stool or rectal, Tracheostomy secretions, Urethral secretions, urine other than suprapubic, and vaginal secretions/swab
Special Instructions:
An aerobic (routine) culture order should accompany any anaerobic culture order, since not all infections are caused by anaerobic bacteria. Do not order anaerobic cultures on specimens where anaerobic bacteria are normal flora such as vagina, throat, gastric, sputum, or bowel. Try to limit the specimens exposure to air. Order C. difficile by Amplification test on stool specimens for C. difficile toxin only. Eswabs should be transported to the lab preferably within 2 hours. If immediate delivery is delayed, then specimens should be refrigerated at 4-8C or stored at room temperature (20-25C) and processed within 48 hours except for Neisseria gonorrhoeae cultures with should be processed within 24 hours.
