Specimen Requirements

Container/tube:  Commercially available transport system specific for recovery of enteric pathogens from fecal specimens (Cary-Blair or Para-Pak C and S [T058])

Specimen must arrive within 30 minutes of collection if not added to a collection vial (Cary-Blair or Para-Pak C and S [T058])

Submit stool specimen in approved container. Collect specimen as follows:
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.
2. Alternatively, collect stool specimen in a clean, dry, wide-mouth container. Do not use toilet paper to collect specimen. Do not remove specimen from toilet water.
3. Stool specimen may also be collected in a stool culture collection vial. Follow instructions accompanying the vial.
4. If a stool specimen cannot be obtained on pediatric patients, insert a sterile swab approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) beyond anal sphincter. Gently rotate swab to sample anal crypts. Collect 2 swabs (feces should be evident on swabs).

5. When using sterile swabs, follow instructions on swab packaging.
6. Label container/transport tube/swab tube (not packaging) with patient’s information, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

7. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note:  1. Maximum storage of fresh specimens is 2 hours at ambient temperature. Maximum storage for specimens in stool culture vials is 96 hours at ambient temperature. Do not refrigerate.

2. Fresh stool specimens will not be processed for culture if received more than 2 hours after collection. Stool culture vials are not acceptable for culture if received more than 96 hours after collection.

3. Routinely, only 1 stool specimen per day should be collected for routine culture. After the third hospital day, it is generally recommended that CDT testing should be performed on patients with diarrhea, not routine culture.
4. Contamination of stool specimen with urine or barium is not acceptable.