Mycobacteriology Specimen Collection Guide

TEST

SPECIMEN

COLLECTION INSTRUCTIONS

TRANSPORT

Mycobacterium Culture and Sensitivity

Blood

Inoculate 5.0 ml of uncoagulated blood directly into a BACTEC MYCO/F Lytic Culture Vial or 10 ml of blood drawn into a SPS tube (yellow top). SPS is preferred but heparinized blood is also acceptable.
BACTEC MYCO/F Lytic Culture Vials are available from the lab.

Room temperature (15-30°C) within 24hrs of collection.

Hold at 35°C ± 2°C if > 24hrs.

Body fluids

Abdominal (peritoneal, paracentesis, dialysis, bile): Collect 10-15 ml aseptically into sterile tube.
Pericardial, Synovial: Collect 3-5 ml aseptically into sterile tube.
Exudates: Collect 3-5 ml aseptically into sterile tube.

Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 72hrs of collection.

Bone marrow

Collect into SPS blood collection tube or inoculate BACTEC MYCO/F Lytic Culture Vial directly.
BACTEC MYCO/F Lytic Culture Vials are available from the lab.

Room temperature (15-30°C) within 24hrs of collection.

Hold at 35°C ± 2°C if > 24hrs.

CSF

Collect 3-5 ml into sterile screw-cap tube.

 Room temperature (15-30°C) within 24hrs of collection.

Gastric lavage fluid

Collect 5-10 ml gastric specimen in sterile container.
Have patient fast 8-12 hr; collect specimen in the morning before eating.
Specify time of collection on container.

Refrigerated (2-8°C).
Transport within 4 hours.
If specimen transport is delayed (>4 hours from collection) add 100 mg sodium carbonate.

Respiratory specimens (processed)

Send at least 1.0 ml of specimen processed with NALC/NaOH procedure (see CDC guidelines for procedure).

Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 7days of collection.

Respiratory specimens (unprocessed)

Collect 5-7 ml of respiratory secretion in sterile container without fixatives or preservatives.
Aerosol (induced sputum): inhalation of warm hypertonic saline induces coughing and production of thin, watery specimen. Preferred specimen.
Sputum: collect material brought up after a deep, productive cough.
Bronchial washings: using a bronchoscope inject saline in segmental (for bronchial wash) or subsegmental (for bronchoalveolar lavage) bronchus. Suction saline out into a sterile container.
Transtracheal aspirate: collect aspirate in sterile container.

Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 72hrs of collection.

Stool
(for detection of M. avium complex in HIV patients)

Collect into a sterile wax free container without fixative or preservative.

Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 24hrs of collection.

Tissue biopsy
(lymph nodes, deep wedge biopsies, external sources)

Collect tissue into sterile container without fixatives or preservatives.
If the tissue is small or not immediately sent to the lab, add sterile saline.

Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 72hrs of collection.

Urine

Wash the external genitalia then immediately collect 30-50 ml of a single early morning midstream urine sample into a sterile container.

Refrigerated (2-8°C) within 72hrs of collection.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex NAAT