Sample Type

Respiratory - Sputum should be collected from a deep cough early in the morning. Twenty-four hour collections are not recommended. Induced sputa, tracheal aspirations, and bronchoscopy specimens are obtained using nursing and respiratory therapy procedures. Refrigerate if there is a delay in culture processing.

Urine - Early morning collection via midstream clean catch or catheterization is recommended. Twenty-four hour collection is not recommended. Urine specimens should be centrifuged and the sediment used to inoculate the isolation media. Refrigerate if there is a delay in culture processing.

Nails & Skin Scrapings - Carefully wash the affected are with 70% isopropanol or equivalent. After drying, scrape the lesion with a sterile scalpel blade or a sterile slide. The outer edges of the lesions contain better material than the center. Place the scraped skin into a sterile container for transport. Hairs from infected areas are clipped or plucked and plaaced in a sterile container. Using a Wood's Lamp may help determine infected hairs, choose hairs the fluoresce. For nails, the superficial portion of the nail should be scraped first before collecting deeper layers. If long enought the nail may be clipped. Refrigerate if there is a delay in processing.

Subcutaneous & Systemic Mycoses Specimens - A variety of materials may be submitted; including pus or exudates from draining lesions submitted or culturettes, material aspirated with syringe from unopened abscesses or sinus tracts, or biopsied tissue submitted in a sterile container without formalin. If a tissue sample is large enough, mince the tissue with a sterile scalpel and forceps in a sterile Petri dish before inoculating isolation media (tissue grinders may damage hyphal elements).

Spinal Fluid - Usually four tubes are submitted. Tube 2 or 3 can be used for fungal testing. If processing is delayed, incubate at 35°C.