Specimen Requirements

Acceptable Specimens:

Note: Swabs are not optimal for fungal stain; tissue and fluids in sterile containers are preferred.

Abscess, aspirate, drainage, or wound: ≥1 mL in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container or 1 Eswab per test request

Tissue or lymph node: ≥1 g in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container

Bronchial, tracheal: ≥5 mL in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container

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

Esophageal brush:  brush in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container with 2 mL of sterile saline

Hair, Skin scrapings, Nails: >10 affected hairs with bases of shaft intact; enough skin or nail scrapings to cover the head of a thumbtack. Place in a screw-capped, sterile container.

Ocular swab:1 ESwab mini tip swab.

Ocular scraping: 2 single circle glass slides in flat plastic slide holder and 1 ESwab mini swab. See detailed collection instructions below.

Ocular fluid (anterior chamber, aqueous humor, vitreous): ≥0.5 mL in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container or Anaerobic Transport media.

Sterile Fluid (Pericardial, Pleural, Synovial, etc.): ≥1 mL in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container

Unacceptable Specimens:

Blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), bone, peritoneal dialysis fluid, stool, throat, or urine

Collection Procedure:

Note: Specimen source is required

Abscess, Aspirate, Drainage, or Wound

1. Disinfect surface of abscess or wound.
2. Aseptically collect purulent material by aspiration (>1 mL). Frequently, viable organisms are only associated with abscess wall, so adequately sample this area. If material is aspirated, aseptically inject specimen into a leak-proof, screw-capped, sterile container or additive free vacutainer tube.
3. Maintain sterility and forward to lab promptly.
4. If transport is delayed, keep specimen at room temperature.

Tissue or Lymph node

1. Aseptically collect >1 g of tissue. Because there may be only a few viable organisms, specimen must be large enough to permit their recovery.
2. Place specimen in a leak-proof, screw-capped, sterile container.
3. Maintain sterility and forward to lab promptly.
4. If transport is delayed, keep specimen at room temperature.

Esophageal brush:

1. Place brush in a leakproof screw-capped, sterile container with 2 mL of sterile saline.
2. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
3. If transport is delayed, keep specimen at room temperature.

Ocular fluid (anterior chamber, aqueous humor, vitreous)

1. Aseptically collect >0.5 mL of fluid.
2. Place specimen in a leak-proof, screw-capped, sterile container.
3. Maintain sterility and forward to lab promptly.
4. If transport is delayed, keep specimen at room temperature. 

Ocular Swab
Call Barnes-Jewish Hospital Laboratory Customer Service at 314-362-1470 to obtain BD ESwab Minitip Collection Kit.

1. Collect specimen before application of topical anesthetics because topical anesthetics possess antimicrobial activity.
2. Cleanse skin around eye with antiseptic.
3. Gently remove makeup and ointment with sterile cotton and saline.
4. Collect specimen by passing swab 2 times over lower conjunctiva or over cornea. Avoid eyelid border and lashes (culture separately in a similar fashion, if indicated).
5. Place swab in transport tube following instructions on kit. Specimen is unacceptable if received without fluid or swab in the transport tube.
6. Maintain sterility and forward to lab promptly.
7. If transport is delayed, keep specimen at room temperature.

Sterile Fluid (Joint, Pericardial, Synovial, etc.)

1. Aseptically collect >1 mL of fluid.
2. Place specimen in a leak-proof, screw-capped, sterile container.
3. Maintain sterility and forward to lab promptly.
4. If transport is delayed, keep specimen at room temperature.