Specimen Requirements

Acceptable Specimens:

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), bronchial washing, sputum, tracheal: >5 mL in leakproof screw-capped, sterile container

Bronchial brush: brush in leakproof, screw-capped, sterile container with sterile saline.

Pleural Fluid:  ≥1 mL in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container. 

Gastric aspirate: ≥5 mL in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container.

Sputum: ≥5 mL in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container.

Deep throat: 1 ESwab per test request

Unacceptable Specimens:

Salvia

Specimen collected with ESwab Collection Kit is unacceptable if received without fluid or swab in the transport tube.

Collection Procedure:

Bronchial or Tracheal

1. Aseptically collect ≥5 mL of fluid.

2. Place specimen in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container.

3. Maintain sterility and transport promptly to laboratory.

4. If transport is delayed, refrigerate specimen.
 

Pleural fluid
1. Aseptically collect ≥1 mL of fluid.
2. Place specimen in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container.
3. Maintain sterility and transport promptly to laboratory.

4. If transport is delayed, keep specimen at room temperature.

Gastric Aspirate
1. Aseptically collect ≥5 mL of an early-morning specimen in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container. 
2. Maintain sterility and transport promptly to laboratory.

NOTE: Gastric acid specimens must arrive in the laboratory within 4 hours of collection. In order to ensure proper processing, specimens should be received in the BJH Microbiology Laboratory by 12:00 noon.

Specimens that arrive in the lab > 4 hours post-collection, or have delayed processing, will include a comment stating, “Specimen processed greater than 4 hours after collection.” The results of these cultures should be interpreted with caution.

Sputum

1. Aseptically collect early-morning specimen avoiding oral contamination in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container. It is optimal to collect a specimen each day for 3 consecutive days. (Saliva is not acceptable.)

2. Instruct patient to brush his/her teeth and rinse mouth well with water.

3. Have patient remove dentures.

4. Instruct patient to take a deep breath, hold it momentarily, and then cough deeply and vigorously into container. Collect ≥5 mL of discharged material.

5. Maintain sterility and transport promptly to laboratory.

6. If transport is delayed, refrigerate specimen.

Deep Throat
1. Depress tongue and rub ESwab over each tonsillar area and posterior pharynx.
2. Collect any exudate on swab.
3. Avoid touching tongue and uvula.
4. Return ESwab into transport tube following instructions on kit.
5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.