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Specimen Collection, Transportation & Processing

Is it recommended to submit multiple surgical specimens from the same site for culture? We sometimes recieve several sets of swabs labeled, A,B,C, and D, they usually all grow out the same thing.

(answered 04/06/2007)

We use Amies transport medium for throat, genital and wound specimens which is collected by a swab Is there any advantage of using Stuart medium for this purpose. Thank you very much
(answered 04/03/2007)
I'm looking for procedure to be used by nursing regarding catheter tip collection. Specifically, what type of skin antisepsis around the insertion site (if any) is recommended after removing central line dressing and before actually pulling catheter to cut segment for culture.
(answered 06/05/2006)
do you have any information on flocked nylon swabs?
(answered 06/02/2006)
types of wound swabs-are you aware of any other swabs besides cotton-tipped and alginate swabs?
(answered 05/15/2006)
Does the cotton swab with a wooden staft have any inhibitory affect on certain bacteria?
(answered 03/30/2006)
We receive tissue cultures from off-site facilities. What is the best way to store tissue cultures if transport is delayed. Should tissue be refrigerated if a delay of over 24 hours occurs? Is there any other media other than sterile, normal saline that can be used for delay transport of the specimen.
(answered 02/07/2006)
Considering the raw materials added to thio broth and many other broths I understand that there is always the possibility of seeing dead organisms in the gram stain of the broth. When we receive swabs from surgery samples we do include a thio broth, which is inoculated first, followed by solid media, followed by a clean (non-sterile) slide. Should we be using sterile slides and inoculating the slide first to avoid a potential false positive gram stain report?
(answered 02/01/2006)
I am looking for a good reference for nursing that has protocol for proper collection of specimens
(answered 12/07/2005)
Many of the studies comparing the longevity of organisms on swabs indicate that the majority of organisms survive as well or better at refrigerated temperature than at room temp. The micro textbooks, however, still recommend room temp transport for almost all swab specimens. Is room temp transport still the official recommendation?
(answered 03/08/2005)
How long is Chlorhexidine active when used as a skin cleansing agent at Central Line sites?
(answered 01/26/2005)
Off-site Microbiology Lab.Our hospital wants to move micro off-site about 15 miles away. Does anyone have any advice as to specimen processing/plating issues that we may face. We are moving to an office building that is not a medical facility.
(answered 04/23/2004)
If I interpret the new IATA guidelines correctly, one does not need to package cultures of most pathogens (exceptions are M. tb, and similar organisms) as etiologic agents if they are being sent for diagnostic purposes. Is that correct?
(answered 07/10/2003)
I am attempting to update our Cold Agglutinins Titer procedure but I am having difficulty finding a current reference for the procedure. I checked collection requirements for several reference labs and have found conflicting information. Is it acceptable to use a red top clot activator tube for collection? Can a serum separator tube be used for collection? Now that in some areas blood is being drawn by nurses or at a site not directly connected to the lab, what is the proper procedure for transport? I have also found some discrepancy how the specimen should be handled once in the lab. Can you help with answers to these questions or provide a procedure reference?
(answered 06/24/2003)
We frequently receive pus & a swab of the same site especially from surgical procedures. Is it necessary to process both samples or are we wasting resources?
(answered 05/28/2003)
Where can I find information on clinical specimens that must be transportated from our hospital to another laboratory in terms of preserving the viability of microorganisms.?
(answered 03/27/2003)
Does anyone report the macroscopic appearance of swabs eg no obvious pus, bloodstained, pusy etc?
(answered 03/04/2003)
How should one collect a specimen from a peritonsillar abscess? Would it be better for a physician to collect the specimen?
(answered 02/14/2003)

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