Laboratory Handbook, Department of Pathology

General Guidelines

Transport Tables

Collection Instructions

	Blood Cultures
	Central Nervous System
	Gastrointestinal
	Genital Tract
	Ocular Specimens
	Respiratory Specimens
	Sterile Body Fluids
	Subcutaneous Tissue & Skin Specimens
	Deep Wounds, Aspirates & Tissue Specimens
	Urine

Microbiology Transport Tables

Table 1 - Transport Systems for aerobic specimens

System and supplier	Comments
Swab Transport System	Sterile, disposable culture collection and transport system consisting of plastic tube containing two rayon-tipped swabs and transport medium to prevent drying of bacteria and maintain pH. (Note: Always crush ampoule (with protective sleeve over ampoule) after specimen collection.)
Urine Vacuette Transport System	Useful for the collection and transport of urine specimens for routine aerobic culture only.
Urethrogenital swabs (example: Calgiswab type IV; Remel, Lenexa, KS)	Flexible wire shafts and small tips provide easier specimen collection of male urethral specimens for N. gonorrhoeae.
Sterile screw-cap cups	Useful for collection of urine, sputum, stool for C. difficile, bronchoaveolar lavage, and biopsy specimens. If biopsy specimen is small, add small amount of sterile nonbacteriostatic 0.85% NaCl to cup. Never place biopsy specimen in formalin or wrap in gauze.
Sterile tubes (screw-cap glass or plastic tubes, sterile Vacutainer tubes without additivies)	Useful for collection of sterile fluids, bronchoalveolar lavage, drainage, or brush specimens.
N. gonorrhoeae transport system (Jembec)	Note: Detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by the Aptima technique requires a special collection kit.
Para-Pak Stool Transport System	C & S vial is used to transport a stool for bacterial culture. Two vials containing PVA and formalin are used for O & P detection. A sterile, plastic cup or vial is used for C. difficile detection.
Aptima Collection Kits, GenProbe, San Diego, CA	Aptima genital or urine specimen collection kit available from Microbiology Lab.

Table 2 - Transport Systems for Anaerobic Specimens

System and supplier	Comments
Port-a-Cult Vial or Port-a-Cult jar, BD Diagnostic Systems	Sealed vial is used for transporting fluid specimens. Jar is used for embedding tissue specimens. Both contain transport medium with reducing agent and redox indicator. Any purple discoloration of medium indicates exposure to air.

Table 3 - Specimen Transport Guide

Source and Type of Specimen	Transport Method for Bacterial Culture
Blood	BacT/Alert aerobic and anaerobic blood culture bottle containing liquid media; 10 ml blood/40 ml adult bottle; 2 bottle set used for adult blood collection 4 ml blood/20 ml pedi bottle; 1 bottle only for pediatric blood collection MBBact Alert Bottle for mycobacterial and fungal detection; 3 ml blood adult; 3 ml pediatric.
CNS CSF, Ommaya fluid Brain abscess CNS biopsy	Sterile screw-cap tube Anaerobic transport system Anaerobic transport system.
Gastrointestinal system Feces,Rectal swab Gastric lavage or washings, Duodenal aspirate Rectal biopsy, Sigmoidoscopy specimen	Para-pak vial with C & S transport medium. Place swab in medium, (for pinworm, use pinworm collection kit, available from the Microbiology lab) Sterile screw-cap cup or sputum trap; transport immediately.
Eye Conjunctival scrapings, Corneal scrapings, Intraocular fluid	Send prepared smears and directly inoculated media. Contact the Microbiology lab for media. Send prepared smears and directly inoculated media, anaerobic transport system.
Genital tract, female Amniotic fluid, Bartholin fluid, Fallopian tube Cervical, urethral, vaginal, Vulval Endometrial	Anaerobic transport system with 1-2 ml of sample Swab transport, viral or chlamydial transport, or N. gonorrhoeae transport system Sterile screw-cap cup or tube or anaerobic transport system
Genital tract, male Anal swab, urethral, penile lesion Epididymis Semen, prostatic massage	Swab transport, viral transport, or N. gonorrhoeae transport system Anaerobic transport system, sterile screw-cap cup Sterile screw-cap cup, tube or swab transport system
Specimens for N. gonorrhoeae Anal, cervical, urethral, vaginal	Direct inoculation to Jembec plate. Check media expiration date. Note: Detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae using Aptima method requires special collection kit.
Lower respiratory tract Lung biopsy Expectorated or induced sputum Tracheal or endotracheal aspirate	Sterile screw-cap cup or tube Sterile screw-cap cup Sputum trap or sterile screw-cap cup or tube
Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid & Bronchial washings Transbronchial biopsy & Bronchial brush Transtracheal aspirate & Lung aspirate	Sputum trap or sterile screw-cap cup or tube Sterile screw-cap tube Anaerobic transport system or sterile screw-cap cup or tube
Upper respiratory tract Throat, Nasal, Nasopharyngeal swab, Oral culture Tympanocentesis fluid & Sinus aspirate Nasopharyngeal suction & Nasal washings	Swab transport or virus transport system Anaerobic transport system Sterile screw-cap cup or viral transport system
Sterile body fluids (exluding CSF, urine, blood) Pleural, peritoneal, ascites, joint,synovial, pericardial and amniotic fluid aspirates	Port-a-cult anaerobic transport system
Subcutaneous tissue and skin Ulcers or nodules, superficial wound (bacterial) Exudate Biopsy Burn specimens & Superficial fungal lesion material	Syringe aspiration (use 0.85% NaCl injected subcutaneously if initial attempt at aspiration is not successful) is preferable to a swab specimen. Port-a-cult anaerobic transport system; or sterile tube Sterile screw-cap cup Sterile screw-cap container
Deep wounds, aspirates, tissues Site wound, Deep wounds or abscesses, soft tissue aspirates Bone, Skin punch biopsy	Anaerobic transport system; syringe aspirates or tissue are preferred specimens. Sterile screw-cap container
Quantitative Tissue Culture	Sterile container with no saline added. Transport immediately.
Urine Clean catch,Ileal conduit, Straight catheter Suprapubic aspirate Bladder washout & Bilateral ureteral catheterization	Transport tube or sterile screw-cap cup

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