Specimen Requirements

1. Use a tongue depressor to depress tongue.
2. Sample posterior pharynx, tonsils, and inflamed areas with sterile swabs. Avoid touching cheek, tongue, uvula, and lips.

3. When using sterile swab(s), follow instructions on swab packaging. In some instances, only 1 sterile swab is used to collect specimen. In these instances, discard remaining swab.
4. Label swab tube (not packaging) with patient’s information, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Note:  1. Maximum storage of specimen is 24 hours refrigerated or ambient temperature.

2. Increased storage times can compromise culture results. If culture is requested on a specimen that exceeds transport/storage requirements, culture results may be compromised (this will be noted in the report).