Specimen Requirements

Gram stain should also be ordered whenever an anaerobic culture is requested.

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Acceptable Specimens:

Abscess, blood, body fluid, percutaneous transtracheal aspirate, suprapubic aspiration, swab, or wound

Abscess
1. Aseptically aspirate 0.5 mL of specimen using a needle and syringe.
2. Transfer specimen to an anaerobic transport vial or an anaerobic swab.
3. Label vial/swab with patient’s full name (first, last, and middle initial), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, location of patient, and type of specimen.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Note:  1. Extreme care must be taken to avoid contamination by anaerobic normal flora and overgrowth by coexisting aerobic bacteria.

2. See “Microbiology” in “Special Instructions.”

3. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Blood
Specimen must arrive within 24 hours of draw.

1. Sterilize tops of BACTEC^TM aerobic and anaerobic blood culture bottles with 70% isopropyl alcohol.

2. See “Microbiology” in “Special Instructions” for patient preparation and collection instructions.

3. Using a syringe or butterfly collection kit for direct inoculation, draw 20 mL of blood.
4. Transfer 10 mL of blood into aerobic bottle and 10 mL of blood into anaerobic bottle. Collect blue-capped aerobic bottle first if unable to collect both bottles.
5. Label bottles with patient’s full name (first, last, and middle initial), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, location of patient, and type of specimen.
6. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Note:  1. Extreme care must be taken to avoid contamination by anaerobic normal flora and overgrowth by coexisting aerobic bacteria.

2. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Body Fluid
1. Aseptically collect 0.5 mL of aspirated body fluid using a needle and syringe.
2. Transfer fluid to an anaerobic transport vial or other sterile tube.
3. Label vial/tube with patient’s full name (first, last, and middle initial), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, location of patient, and type of specimen.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Note:  1. Extreme care must be taken to avoid contamination by anaerobic normal flora and overgrowth by coexisting aerobic bacteria.

2. See “Microbiology” in “Special Instructions.”

3. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Percutaneous Transtracheal Aspirate
1. Aseptically collect 0.5 mL of lower respiratory secretion by percutaneous transtracheal aspiration.
2. Submit specimen in an anaerobic transport vial or other sterile container.
3. Label vial/container with patient’s full name (first, last, and middle initial), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, location of patient, and type of specimen.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Note:  1. Extreme care must be taken to avoid contamination by anaerobic normal flora and overgrowth by coexisting aerobic bacteria.

2. See “Microbiology” in “Special Instructions.”
3. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Suprapubic Aspiration
1. Aseptically collect 0.5 mL of urine by suprapubic needle aspiration of the bladder.
2. Transfer specimen to an anaerobic transport media vial or other sterile container.
3. Label vial/container with patient’s full name (first, last, and middle initial), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, location of patient, and type of specimen.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Note:  1. Extreme care must be taken to avoid contamination by anaerobic normal flora and overgrowth by coexisting aerobic bacteria.

2. See “Microbiology” in “Special Instructions.”
3. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Swab
1. If not enough specimen to aspirate, aseptically collect specimen using an anaerobic swab. Swab may be obtained from laboratory.
2. Submit swab in a single anaerobic transport vial.
3. Label vial with patient’s full name (first, last, and middle initial), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, location of patient, and type of specimen.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Note:  1. Extreme care must be taken to avoid contamination by anaerobic normal flora and overgrowth by coexisting aerobic bacteria.

2. See “Microbiology” in “Special Instructions.”
3. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Wound
1. Prepare site:  wash wound margins well with surgical soap followed by 70% alcohol.
2. Aspirate deepest portion of lesion or sinus with sterile needle and syringe or catheter.
3. Transfer aspirate to an anaerobic transport vial or other sterile container.
4. Label vial/container with patient’s full name (first, last, and middle initial), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, location of patient, and type of specimen.
5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Note:  1. Extreme care must be taken to avoid contamination by anaerobic normal flora and overgrowth by coexisting aerobic bacteria.

2. See “Microbiology” in “Special Instructions.”
3. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.