Collection Instructions

1. Sputum
   • Specimen should be fresh.
   • Specimen should be collected in a sterile container in the early morning.
   • Have the patient remove dentures and rinse mouth.
   • Only deep cough specimens will be accepted – saliva will be rejected.
2. Other Respiratory Specimens
   • Including tracheal aspirates, lung biopsy material, bronchoscopy specimens:
     • Collect aseptically and send to the lab immediately in a sterile container.
3. Pus, exudate, and drainage
   • Use a sterile needle and syringe to aspirate material from undrained abscesses.
   • Remove the needle and recap the syringe. Send the syringe to the lab.
4. Vaginal material
   • Use a sterile swab to collect material from the vagina. Transport to the lab.
5. Tissue
   • Collect tissue aseptically from the center and edge of the lesion.
   • Place the specimen between moist gauze squares in a sterile container and add a small amount of sterile saline to keep the specimen from drying out. Send to the lab.
6. Body fluids
   • Collect aseptically and place in a sterile container. Send to lab.
7. Hair
   • No cleaning of the scalp is needed.
   • Select infected areas and use forceps to epilate at least 10 hairs.
   • Place specimen in a sterile container and transport to the lab.
8. Nail
   • Clean the nail with 70% alcohol.
   • For a specimen of the dorsal plate, scrape the outer surface and discard the scrapings. Then scrape the deeper portion for a specimen.
   • Remove a portion of debris from under the nail with a scalpel.
   • Collect the whole nail or nail clippings.
   • Place material in a sterile container and transport to the lab.
9. Skin and interspaces
   • Specimens of skin are taken from an area that has been cleaned with 70% alcohol.
   • Scrape the active peripheral edge of a lesion with a scalpel or the side of a microscope slide. Transport scrapings to the lab in a clean container.