Specimen Requirements

Specimen source is required; include the specific anatomic source.  Indicate whether it is a "surface" or deep/surgical" specimen.  DO NOT label only as "wound."

Sampling of surface area can introduce colonizing bacteria not involved in infection process.

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:
 
Preferred:

Specimen Type: Closed Abscess 

Collection Container/Tube: Sterile needle and syringe or catheter

Submission Container/Tube: Anaerobic transport device, vial or sterile container

Specimen Volume: Entire collection

Collection Instructions: Aspirate the abscess contents with a syringe.

Acceptable:
Specimen Type: Open abscess, swab, tissue, or fluid

Sources: Abscess, aspirate, lesion, or wound

Container/Tube: Sterile container or culture transport swab

Specimen Volume: Entire specimen
Collection Instructions:  For most open lesions and abscesses, remove superficial flora by decontaminating skin before collecting a specimen from advancing margin or base.

Additional Information: If submitting a specimen from a source contaminated with usual flora, send at refrigerated temperature, however, refrigerated specimens are not suitable for isolation of Neisseria species.

Specimen Type Choices: Abscess, Aspirate, Bartholin, Bite, Cath Site, Decub, Excision Site, Exit Site, Fistula, Mass, Perirectal, Pilonidal Cyst, Rectal Abscess, Sinus, Tonsil

Body Site Choices: Abdomen, Ankle, Anus, Arm, Axilla, Back, Breast, Buttock, Calf, Cheek, Chest, Chin, Coccyx, Ear, Earlobe, Elbow, Eye, Eyelid, Face Finger, Fingernail, Foot, Forearm, Forehead, Foreskin, Groin, Hand, Head, Heel, Hip, Jaw, Knee, Labia, Leg, Lip, Mouth, Navel, Neck, Nipple, Nose, Other, Penis, Scalp, Shoulder, Testicle, Thigh, Thumb, Toe, Toenail, Tongue, Tooth, Vagina, Vulva, Wrist