TEST | SPECIMEN | COLLECTION INSTRUCTIONS | TRANSPORT |
Mycobacterium Culture and Sensitivity | Blood | Inoculate 5.0 ml of uncoagulated blood directly into a BACTEC MYCO/F Lytic Culture Vial or 10 ml of blood drawn into a SPS tube (yellow top). SPS is preferred but heparinized blood is also acceptable.
BACTEC MYCO/F Lytic Culture Vials are available from the lab. | Room temperature (15-30°C) within 24hrs of collection. Hold at 35°C ± 2°C if > 24hrs. |
| | Body fluids | Abdominal (peritoneal, paracentesis, dialysis, bile): Collect 10-15 ml aseptically into sterile tube.
Pericardial, Synovial: Collect 3-5 ml aseptically into sterile tube.
Exudates: Collect 3-5 ml aseptically into sterile tube. | Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 72hrs of collection. |
| | Bone marrow | Collect into SPS blood collection tube or inoculate BACTEC MYCO/F Lytic Culture Vial directly.
BACTEC MYCO/F Lytic Culture Vials are available from the lab. | Room temperature (15-30°C) within 24hrs of collection. Hold at 35°C ± 2°C if > 24hrs. |
| | CSF | Collect 3-5 ml into sterile screw-cap tube. | Room temperature (15-30°C) within 24hrs of collection. |
| | Gastric lavage fluid | Collect 5-10 ml gastric specimen in sterile container.
Have patient fast 8-12 hr; collect specimen in the morning before eating.
Specify time of collection on container. | Refrigerated (2-8°C).
Transport within 4 hours.
If specimen transport is delayed (>4 hours from collection) add 100 mg sodium carbonate. |
| | Respiratory specimens (processed) | Send at least 1.0 ml of specimen processed with NALC/NaOH procedure (see CDC guidelines for procedure). | Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 7days of collection. |
| | Respiratory specimens (unprocessed) | Collect 5-7 ml of respiratory secretion in sterile container without fixatives or preservatives.
Aerosol (induced sputum): inhalation of warm hypertonic saline induces coughing and production of thin, watery specimen. Preferred specimen.
Sputum: collect material brought up after a deep, productive cough.
Bronchial washings: using a bronchoscope inject saline in segmental (for bronchial wash) or subsegmental (for bronchoalveolar lavage) bronchus. Suction saline out into a sterile container.
Transtracheal aspirate: collect aspirate in sterile container. | Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 72hrs of collection. |
| | Stool
(for detection of M. avium complex in HIV patients) | Collect into a sterile wax free container without fixative or preservative. | Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 24hrs of collection. |
| | Tissue biopsy
(lymph nodes, deep wedge biopsies, external sources) | Collect tissue into sterile container without fixatives or preservatives.
If the tissue is small or not immediately sent to the lab, add sterile saline. | Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 72hrs of collection. |
| | Urine | Wash the external genitalia then immediately collect 30-50 ml of a single early morning midstream urine sample into a sterile container. | Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 72hrs of collection. |
Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex NAAT | Gastric Lavage fluid | Collect 5-10 ml gastric specimen in sterile container. Have patient fast 8-12 hr; collect specimen in the morning before eating. Specify time of collection on container. | Refrigerated (2-8°C) Transport within 4 hours. If specimen transport delayed
>4 hours from collection, add 100 mg sodium carbonate. |
| | Respiratory specimens (processed)* | Send at least 0.7 ml of specimen processed with NALC/NaOH procedure (see CDC guidelines for procedure) For unprocessed specimens, prior approval is required. | Refrigerated (2-8°C) if transported within 7 days of collection. If longer, transport frozen on dry ice (-20°C or colder). |
