Deliver to laboratory within 30 minutes of collection. If transport is delayed, specimens nust be refrigerated and delivered within 1 day of collection.

0700-1630, 7 days a week, including holidays.

Cultures are held for 6 weeks.

A. Blood - media and instructions available upon request from the Microbiology Lab. A transfer device will be distributed with these culture bottles. Test available for limited patient populations only.

B. Sputum - an early morning specimen on three consecutive days is preferred although two specimens collected on same day >8 hours apart with third specimen on next day is acceptable for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Collect 5-15 mL in a sterile container. Pooled specimens are unacceptable.

C. Swabs are suboptimal for the recovery of mycobacteria since they provide limited material and the hydrophobicity of the mycobacterial cell envelope often compromises a transfer from swabs onto media. See bacterial culture for collection and transport of all other specimen types.

Standard culture media and/or semi-automated radiometric detection

87116

See also:
Bacterial Culture