SPECIMEN COLLECTION & TRANSPORTATION GUIDE

The key to accurate laboratory diagnosis and confirmation is the appropriate microbiology specimen selection and collection. The impact is enormous, as it directly affects patient’s care and outcomes, influences therapeutic decisions, hospital infection control, patient length of stay, hospital and laboratory costs, as well as antibiotic stewardship.

Result interpretation in microbiological culture depends entirely on the quality of specimens submitted for analysis. In order to achieve this, laboratories require that all clinical specimens (in particular) microbiology specimens to be properly selected, collected, and transported to optimize analysis and interpretation. 

Important principles of specimen management and testing in microbiology culture; 

1) Specimens should be collected prior to administration of antibiotics. Once antibiotics are given, the microbiota changes and etiologic agents are impacted leading to potentially misleading culture results. 

2) Specimens must be labelled accurately (with two patient identifiers) and completely. 

3) It is always a good idea and preferred specimens to send actual tissues, aspirates, and fluids, especially from surgeries. Swab is not the specimen of choice as it picks up extraneous microbes, holds only a small volume of specimen and does not have uniform inoculums on the swab across different agar plates.

4) Whenever possible, normal or commensal microbiota must be avoided as it complicates the interpretation of culture results.

The best outcomes for patients are the result of strong partnerships between clinicians and microbiologists. Clinicians and other medical personnel should consult the pathologist/microbiologist to ensure that selection, collection, transport, and storage of clinical specimens are managed appropriately.