Collection Volume:
Several small pieces of skin, hair, or nails
Cause for Rejection:
Specimen sent in nonsterile container, QNS - no specimen seen in container
Special Instructions:
Small petri dishes can be used to transport pieces of skin,
hair or nails to the lab for culture. These petri dishes
are available from Microbiology (38412) upon request. Any
sterile screw cap container is also available for transport
of specimen. Deliver to lab immediately.
1. Hair - select infected areas and, with forceps, epilate at least 10 hairs. For hairs broken off at the scalp level, use a scalpel or a blade knife. (Note: No cleaning of scalp is needed). Send in sterile cup with lid or petri dish.
2. Nail - clean with 70% alcohol.
a) Collect the whole nail or nail clippings.
b) Remove a portion of debris from under the nail with a scalpel.
c) For a specimen of the dorsal plate, scrape the outer surface and discard scrapings. Then scrape the deeper portion for a specimen. Embed the nail in the agar so more surface area is in the gar.
3. Skin and interspaces - wipe lesions and interspaces between the toes with an alcohol sponge or sterile water. Scrape the entire lesion and both sides of interspaces with a sterile scalpel. Place scrapings between two clean glass slides or in a sterile petri dish.
