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 1 hour 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. (Rectal swab is not acceptable.)

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. Specimen may also be submitted using a Hemoccult® Collection Kit. Follow instructions accompanying the kit for specimen collection, and label front flap with patient information. Only a small amount of specimen is used in test area.

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

6. Place container/stool cup/slide(s) in biohazard transport bag.

7. Maintain sterility and forward promptly. Do not refrigerate.

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

2. Specimens should not be collected if hematuria or obvious rectal bleeding, such as from hemorrhoids, is present.
3. Premenopausal women should not collect specimens during or in first 3 days after a menstrual period.
4. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided 3 days prior to and during test period.
5. Patient should avoid taking vitamin C in excess of 250 mg per day, eating red meat (beef, lamb) including processed meats and liver, and raw fruits and vegetables (especially melons, radishes, turnips, and horseradish) for 72 hours prior to and during the test period.

6. You may submit up to 3 specimens (1 collected each day for 3 days) per request.

7. Maximum storage for fresh specimens is 24 hours refrigerated. Maximum storage for slides collected by patients using kit is 14 days at ambient temperature.