COLONY COUNT ONLY: Aseptically collect 100 mL fluid in a sterile container. CULTURE: Collect 5 mL to 100 mL fluid in a sterile container. Collect swab specimen with a Routine Culture transport swab.
Stability:
Transport swab specimen stable 24 hours ambient. Fluid specimen stable 2 hours ambient or 24 hours refrigerated. Unstable frozen.
Standard Volume:
COLONY COUNT: 100 mL fluid. CULTURE: 5 mL fluid.
Minimum Volume:
COLONY COUNT: 40 mL fluid; or CULTURE: 1 mL fluid.
Transport:
Transport swab ambient; fluid ambient or refrigerated.
Comments:
If specimen is water, swab outlets with disinfectant. Allow to sit 1-2 minutes. Run water 1-2 minutes before collecting 100 mL from midstream. CULTURE: Additional testing may be done for organism identification. An additional charge will be added for these tests.
Rejection Criteria:
Delayed transport; unsterile container; frozen specimen; swab not in transport media.