Specimen Requirements

Optimal times for specimen collection must be based upon both the type of infectious disease process and ability of laboratory to expertly process specimens. The Microbiology Laboratory is not as well staffed during evening and late night hours. Specimens collected late in the evening often do not produce adequate growth by next morning. STAT testing is available at all times for critical tests including blood cultures, body fluid Gram stains, etc.

Specimen must arrive within 4 hours of collection.

1. Lift toilet seat, and cover toilet bowl with a large sheet of plastic wrap. Make a depression in plastic wrap. With toilet seat lowered, pass stool specimen directly onto plastic wrap. Do not contaminate with urine.

2. Place 1 g of stool in a screw-capped, sterile container/stool cup.
3. Alternatively, collect stool specimen in a sterile, dry, wide-mouth container. Do not use toilet paper to collect specimen. Do not remove specimen from toilet water.

4. Label container/stool cup with patient’s name, physician’s name, date and time collected, initials of collector, and specimen source.

5. Place container/stool cup in biohazard transport bag.

6. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Note:  1. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

2. Send specimen refrigerated if there is a delay in shipment of >4 hours or if mailing time exceeds 4 hours. Maximum storage of specimens is 72 hours refrigerated.