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 2 hours of collection.

1. Wipe away excessive amount of secretions or discharge.

2. Collect secretions from mucosal membrane of vaginal vault with a sterile swab.

3. Unscrew cap of transport tube, insert swab into transport tube containing 1 mL of sterile saline, and break swab at score line. Replace cap securely making sure swab fits into cap, and then screw on cap until it clicks into place.

4. Label tube (not packaging) with patient’s name, physician’s name, date and time collected, initials of collector, and specimen source. 

5. Place tube in biohazard transport bag.

6. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note:  1. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

2. Maximum storage of specimen is 24 hours at ambient temperature. Specimen will not be processed if transport/storage times are exceeded. Extended storage of specimen (beyond 2 hours) will decrease motility of organism, therefore, making organism more difficult to detect. Extended storage will also increase bacterial numbers.

3. Trichomonas vaginalis is most easily detected when the organism is motile.