Physician Office Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Hair
1. Aseptically collect at least 10 to 12 hairs from where the suspected organism will most likely be found in a screw-capped, sterile container. (Specimen submitted in non-sterile container or specimen delayed >4 hours [unless collected on BBL^TM CultureSwab^TM Plus] is not acceptable.)

2. Label specimen with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  1. Collect before start of antibiotic therapy whenever possible.

2. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Nail
1. Wipe nail with 70% alcohol.
2. Scrape outer surface of nail and discard.
3. Aseptically collect scraping from deeper, diseased areas of nail. Place in a screw-capped, sterile container. (Specimen submitted in non-sterile container or specimen delayed >4 hours [unless collected on BBL^TM CultureSwab^TM Plus] is not acceptable.)

4. Label specimen with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  1. Collect before start of antibiotic therapy whenever possible.

2. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Skin Scraping
1. Clean skin with 70% alcohol.
2. Scrape advancing edge of lesion from where the suspected organism will most likely be found with a sterile glass slide into a screw-capped, sterile container. (Specimen submitted in non-sterile container or specimen delayed >4 hours [unless collected on BBL^TM CultureSwab^TM Plus] is not acceptable.)

3. Label specimen with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  1. Collect before start of antibiotic therapy whenever possible.

2. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Tissue
1. Aseptically obtain tissue from where the suspected organism will most likely be found and place in a screw-capped, sterile container. (Specimen submitted in non-sterile container or specimen delayed >4 hours [unless collected on BBL^TM CultureSwab^TM Plus] is not acceptable.)

2. Label specimen with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  1. Collect before start of antibiotic therapy whenever possible.

2. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.