Specimen Requirements

Cervical or Vaginal Specimen
Swab of vagina or cervix collected as follows:
1. Do not use lubricant on speculum.
2. Remove cervical mucous first before inserting culture transport swab into endocervical canal.
3. Move swab from side-to-side.
4. Place swab in sterile culture transport tube.
5. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), date of birth or medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
6. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Labia or Vulva
1. Collect specimen from active site of infection using a culture transport swab.
2. Place swab in sterile culture transport tube.
3. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), date of birth or medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Urethra
Urethral discharge collected as follows:
1. Instruct patient not to urinate for 1 hour prior to collection.
2. Use a culture transport swab to collect specimen of urethral discharge.
3. Place swab in sterile culture transport tube.
4. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), date of birth or medical record number, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing.