Lab Handling

Use a sterile, leakproof container. Properly label the container with patient’s information: name, date of birth, SSN or other patient identificaion, date and time of collection, source of specimen. All specimens must be collected in a sterile manner. Sputum specimens should be collected as a first morning specimen (these give the best results) and should not exceed 15 ML. Sputum expectation should be from deep in the chest. Nasopharyngeal secreations or saliva should be avoided as well as the use of mouthwash before obtaining the specimen. The pooling of specimens is not acceptable as a reduced number of positive specimens may result. Specimens ordered times three should be collected three mornings in a row. Urine specimens should be collected in a sterile container and as clean-catch or catheterized specimens. These should be collected as first morning specimens. A minimum of three first morning specimens should be collected. Skin scrapings and aspirations from skin submitted for culture of Mycobacterium lepra or Mycobacterium ulcerans should be labelled as such.
NO Preservatives