Specimen Requirements

TWO (2) Dual swab BD CultureSwab (red top swab) must be submitted.

BBL Culturette II Swab Red Cap

Acceptable specimens: Skin, or soft tissue (muscle, fat, fibrous tissue, blood vessels, or other supporting tissue of the body) that have purulent drainage, pustules, vesicles or boils. Samples must be collected on appropriate swab and be free of bone, skin and tissue.

Unacceptable specimens: Aspirates taken with a needle from inside the body such as fluids of peritoneal, ascites, pleural or synovial origin, samples of internal organs such as brain or gall bladder and specimens containing bone, skin or tissue.

Specimens of skin and soft tissue infections can be collected with the BD CultureSwab sample
collection device using surface decontamination and swabbing obvious drainage, pus or exudate with both swabs. The specimen swabs are placed back in the plastic transport tube (containing liquid Stuart’s medium) and sent to the laboratory for testing. In order to assure that an appropriate specimen is available for susceptibility testing, identification of pathogens other than Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin resistant
Staphylococcus aureus, and possible strain typing, a second collection from the same site will be mandatory with an order for routine aerobic culture (WOUND).

NOTE: If only one BD CultureSwab is received, the molecular test will be performed with the comment “No specimen received for wound culture and sensitivity.”