1 ESwab® Transport 2 Swab in Amies 3 Twisted wire

System liquid transport shaft swab in

medium Amies liquid
• ESwabs (Elution swab) are designed transport
for routine bacterial cultures
(red cap)
• ESwabs offer the advantage of
medium
Instructions
a single device for both aerobic (green cap)
• Keep at room
and anaerobic cultures and feature temperature after Instructions
the improved flocked nylon swab collection • Keep at room
Collect the right specimen, • Mini-tip swabs may be used for
smaller body sites
• Specify source on
requisition
temperature
after collection
for the right test. Every time. Instructions
• Break off nylon swab into
Notes • Specify source
on requisition
• Reflex to Culture (use
screw cap vial double swab; see item #5)
• Seal tightly
Speedy code: S08

Infectious Disease & Primary Care • Keep at room temperature

Single-swab speedy code: S01

CULTURE SWAB SPECIMENS

after collection

Specimen Collection & Transport Guide • Specify source on requisition

Routine speedy code: S12

Mini-tip speedy code: S10

How to use this guide Key

1 4 Swab in Amies gel 5 ESwab double-swab kit

®
6 BD Universal Viral
™
Identify the desired test in the Test column. Swab Stool/Anal Unisex
transport medium in Amies liquid transport Transport System
Swab Female Miscellaneous m Male (blue cap) medium (blue cap) or

2 Refer to the Preferred Transport Device column for the

preferred specimen collection device indicated by a colored
circle. This circle corresponds to an image inside the guide.
Blood
Urine
Urea Breath
Specimen
f Female
• Swab transport devices do not
provide optimal organism recovery
double swab in Amies liquid
transport medium (red cap)
• UTM-RT may be stored
at room temperature
before inoculation

Chlamydiae, Mycoplasmas
and Ureaplasmas (3.0 mL)
for surgically obtained body fluid or

BD Universal Viral Transport

Instructions • Store vials refrigerated

Medium for Viruses,

tissue samples after inoculation

Chlamydiae, Mycoplasmas
and Ureaplasmas (1.0 mL)
• Take sample from patient using

BD Universal Viral Transport

Find the indicated transport device inside the guide For example: For Candida vaginitis, first find the test in the left column.

Medium for Viruses,

• For submission of fluid or tissue both swabs
samples, refer to #25 below Instructions
for specific collection instructions and how to order. The specimen collection device listed is “7 Female” in a light orange– • Remove the white swab from the
colored circle in the Preferred Transport Device column. 7 f dual cap • Break the sampling
Inside the guide, you will find 7 in the light orange section for specific Instructions • Keep the green swab on the dual swab off into the UTM- REV. 00 DATE 2010.05

collection and ordering instructions. 7 cap and insert into the dry tube RT tube
• Keep at room temperature after
• Break off the white swab into the
collection
Amies liquid tube and secure tightly
• Specify source on requisition Nasopharyngeal kit speedy code: S05
Culture methods • Keep at room temperature after
collection
• Specify source on requisition Lesion (skin surface) kit speedy code: S03
Select an appropriate transport container for the specimen type from the listed options Speedy code: S02

TEST PREFERRED TRANSPORT DEVICE TEST PREFERRED TRANSPORT DEVICE TEST PREFERRED TRANSPORT DEVICE Cervical kit speedy code: S06
Blue cap kit speedy code: S55
Aerobic and Anaerobic 1 4 25 Throat 1 2 4 Bacterial Vaginosis/Vaginitis NAAT 7
Urethral kit speedy code: S09
Aerobic and Anaerobic with Gram Stain 1 4 25 Tissues, Fluids, and Aspirates 25 BD Affirm® Vaginitis panel 8 f Red cap kit speedy code: S07
Aerobic Cultures 1 2 3 4 Bordetella pertussis DNA, real-time 3 4
Urine, Routine 12
C difficile testing 23

FEMALE VAGINAL & CERVICAL SPECIMENS

Anaerobic with Gram Stain 25 Urine, Special 12
7 Aptima Multitest Swab 8 BD Affirm® VPIII Ambient Temperature
®
Blood, Fungus 17 Candida vaginitis, TMA 7 f
Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci 1 2 4
Screen (VRE) Chlamydia trachomatis 7 f 10 f/m 11
Specimen Collection Kit Transport System (ATTS) (Vaginal)
Blood, Mycobacterium 17
RNA, TMA
Viral 6 9 Instructions Instructions
Blood, Routine Bacterial 15
Yeast 1 2 4 25 Flu A/B RSV 6
Chlamydia 9 f/m Use the Aptima Multitest Swab Specimen Collection Kit
® • Break ampoule in ATTS Reagent Dropper by
Campylobacter 19 HSV 1/2 NAAT 7 firmly squeezing the vial with finger and thumb
for the vaginosis/vaginitis panel
Ear 1 4 M pneumoniae DNA, 6 23
Cryptosporidium 18 19 • Insert collection swab into diluent tube • Dispense reagent from dropper into
Qualitative, Real-Time PCR
Eye 1 4 transport device
ANTIGEN DETECTION

Fecal Lactoferrin 21 2
• Break at score mark and cap tightly
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Fungus: Hair, Skin, Nail 23 • Swab the vaginal wall and posterior fornix and
Giardia Antigen 18 19 Mycoplasma genitalium 7 f 10 f/m 11 Note place immediately into the transport device

2.9 mL
Fungus, Other 1 2 4 23 25 RNA, TMA Refer to the Test Directory for test order numbers and additional
19 21

Date
H pylori Antigen Detection

Multitest Swab Transport Media (STM)

Genital 1 2 4 Shiga Toxins EIA 19 Mycoplasma hominis, PCR 7 10 11 m samples/collection containers acceptable for individual test codes.
Herpes simplex 6 9 f/m 7 10 11 Vaginal speedy code: S04

Aptima®
Streptococcus, Group A Antigen Detection 5 Neisseria gonorrhoeae RNA, TMA

Patient Name
Methicillin Resistant 1 2 3 4 Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) Smear, Respiratory Pathogen Panel 6 Aptima speedy code: A03
1 2 4
Staphylococcus aureus Nugent Score
Screen (MRSA) SARS-CoV-2, Flu A/B, RSV 6
Blood Parasites Malaria/ 16
Mycobacterial, Respiratory 23 24 Babesia Smear Microfilariae Detection Streptococcus, Group B DNA, 2 4
and sources other than blood PCR with Broth Enrichment
Cyclospora and Isospora 18
9 VCM Viral Chlamydia-Mycoplasma 10 Aptima Unisex
MOLECULAR

®
Mycoplasma/Ureaplasma 6 9 Trichomonas vaginalis RNA, TMA 7 10 11
Fecal Leukocyte 18
Neisseria gonorrhoeae 1 4
Gram Stain 1 2 4 23 25 Ureaplasma/Mycoplasma Panel, PCR 7 10 11 m transport tube (red cap) Collection Swab
Sputum, may include fungus or mycobacteria 23 24 Microsporidia Spore Detection 18 Ureaplasma spp. PCR 7 10 11 m • VCM may be stored at room temperature Instructions
before inoculation
UNISEX SPECIMENS

Stool Culture for: Salmonella and Shigella; 19 Ova and Parasites 18 H pylori Urea Breath Test (UBT) 22 • Insert the collection swab into the diluent tube,
MICROSCOPY

OTHER/ MISC

Vibrio; Yersinia
• Store vials refrigerated after inoculation so that the tip of the swab is visible below the

25°C
Ova and Parasites with Giardia Antigen 18 Urinalysis, Complete 14
1 2 4

2°C
Streptococcus, Group A tube label
20 13 Instructions

Date
Pinworm identification Urinalysis with Culture Reflex
• Break the swab at score mark

IVD
Streptococcus Group A Rapid Antigen
with Reflex to Culture (use double swab)
5 Respiratory Virus Panel 6 Urinalysis with Reflex to Microscopic 14 • Break the sampling swab off into the VCM tube
and cap tightly

COPAN Italia S.p.A.

25125 Brescia Italy
North American Dist.
via Perotti 10
Specimen
Streptococcus, Group B (with or 1 2 4
Female genital kit speedy code: S06
REV. 00 DATE 2010.05

without Susceptibility)
Male urethral or female endocervical
Male urethral (mini-tip) kit speedy code: S09 swab speedy code: A02
More information can be found online at [Link]/TestDirectory or by contacting your local Quest Diagnostics laboratory.
*Preferred transport devices may vary by region. Consult the test directory or contact your local lab for more information.
 11 Aptima Urine Specimen Collection Kit
®
12 Vacutainer® Urine or Copan
UriSponge™ Transport Tube 18 Total-Fix vial ™
19 Cary-Blair Transport Medium
• Patient should collect first 20 mL-30 mL of voided urine
• This container will keep bacterial colony Instructions Instructions
• Patient should not have urinated at least 1 hour prior
counts constant during transport to the lab
 

to collection


 


• Place stool into vial until the black line is reached • Place stool into orange-capped Para-Pak®
• For urine culture only vial until red fill line is reached
• Leave specimen at room temperature after collection




Instructions




Instructions for Vacutainer® • Leave specimen at room temperature
• Uncap the urine transport tube after collection
• Use the transfer pipette to dispense 2 mL of • Fill the gray-top tube to minimum fill line
(at least 3 mL) Speedy code: F01
urine into the tube
• Fluid levels should be between the black lines • Keep at room temperature after collection Speedy code: F02
on the tube label Instructions for UriSponge ™

STOOL/ANAL SPECIMENS
• Dip the UriSponge™ applicator into the urine
Urine speedy code: A01 sample, submerging sponge applicator for 5 seconds
• Return the sponge applicator to the UriSponge tube
20 Apacor ParaClick® 21 Non-Sterile Stool Vial
• DO NOT add urine directly to the tube pinworm paddle
URINE SPECIMENS

• Transport at room temperature or refrigerated • For best results on H pylori Antigen Detection, the
Instructions patient should be off antimicrobials, proton pump
Vacutainer speedy code: U01 UriSponge speedy code: U90 • Remove protective film from adhesive area on inhibitors (PPIs), or bismuth preparations within 2 weeks
collection paddle prior to administering the test
• Press the sticky side of the paddle to the Instructions
perianal folds • Place stool into red-cap vial
13 Yellow-Cap Urine Transport Tube 14 Urine Transport Tube
• Do not insert paddle into the anus or cover
with stool
• Frozen transport
plus Gray-Top Urine Transport Tube
• Fold the test to seal and protect the sample.
or Copan UriSponge™ Transport Tube • This test requires the submission of a
The test will click shut Speedy code: F57
yellow-cap urinalysis preservative tube
• This test requires the submission of both a yellow-cap with blue fill line • Place specimen in collection bag and
urinalysis preservative tube with blue fill line and a refrigerate
gray-top culture tube or Copan UriSponge™



 


 Instructions
• Both tubes are required • Fill the urinalysis tube to the






maximum fill line Speedy code: F08
Instructions (Yellow-cap plus gray-top tubes)
• Store and transport the yellow-cap tube
• Fill the gray-top culture tube to minimum fill line (at at room temperature after collection
least 3 mL)
• Fill the urinalysis tube to the maximum fill line
• Store and transport the tube at room temperature after Speedy code: U03 or U73
collection
• For Copan UriSponge instructions, see #12
22 UBT Test Collection Kit
• The patient should fast 1 hour before collection of baseline breath sample

UREA BREATH SPECIMEN

• Antimicrobials, PPIs, or bismuth preparations taken within 2 weeks prior to administering test may cause GulfCoastScientific GulfCoastScientific
Yellow-Cap speedy code: U03 or U73 Gray-Top speedy code: U01 false-negative results. A positive result for a patient on a PPI could be considered positive and acted upon Breath Collection Bag Breath Collection Bag
• Pranactin-Citric™ contains a small amount of aspartame sweetener Patient ID: Patient ID:

• Test may not be suitable for patients with phenylketonuria whose dietary phenylalanine is restricted
Date: Date:

Time: Time:

Baseline Sample Post Sample

Instructions
15 BACT/ALERT® FA PLUS, BACT/ALERT® FN PLUS, and
Medical Facility/Notes: Medical Facility/Notes:

• Collect the baseline breath sample using the blue bag

BACT/ALERT® PF PLUS blood culture bottle kits • Collect the post-dose breath sample using the pink bag 15 minutes after drinking the Pranactin-Citric solution
Replace cap secur
ely after collection of breath
. Replace cap secur
ely after collection of breath
.

• Aerobic (Green) • Anaerobic (Orange) • Pediatric (Yellow) • Transport at room temperature

Aerobic Pediatric REF 410853 30 mL

Anaerobic REF 410852 40 mL
Aerobic REF 410851 30 mL
5mL

5mL

5mL
Instructions
5mL

5mL

5mL
FN PLUS

PF PLUS
FA PLUS bioMérieux, Inc. Durham, NC 27712 USA

bioMérieux, Inc. Durham, NC 27712 USA

bioMérieux, Inc. Durham, NC 27712 USA

5mL

5mL

5mL
Adults: Children:
5mL

5mL

5mL
For each culture ordered: For each culture request: Speedy code: K01
5mL

5mL

5mL

• Collect blood with a blood collection • Collect blood with a blood collection set
5mL

5mL

5mL
BACT/ALERT® FN Plus
5mL

5mL

5mL
BACT/ALERT® PF Plus
BACT/ALERT® FA Plus

set into a Bact/Alert® FA Plus bottle first, into a Bact/Alert® PF Plus bottle
5mL

5mL

5mL

followed by a Bact/Alert® FN Plus • Only one bottle is needed (see Specimen

5mL

5mL

5mL

• Leave at room temperature Collection section of Directory of Services)

after collection • Leave at room temperature after collection
23 Leakproof Plastic 24 50 mL Conical, Sterile,
Aerobic & Anaerobic set speedy code: BC31 Pediatric kit speedy code: BC32 Screw Cap Vial Leakproof Plastic
BLOOD SPECIMENS

Screw Cap Vial

Instructions
• For C difficile tests, place 5-10 grams of Instructions
unformed stool specimen in the container Please instruct the patient to
and transport frozen or refrigerated perform the following:
16 EDTA (lavender-top) tube 17 BD Bactec Myco/F Lytic bottle
™
MISCELLANEOUS

• Rinse mouth with water prior to collection

and slides in slide holders • Submit blood for mycobacterial or fungal Frozen transport preferred,
• Open the lid on top of the device
• Send specimens to the lab within 24 hours cultures in a Bactec™ Myco/F Lytic bottle refrigerated acceptable:
• Cough deeply and expectorate
• SPS and heparin tubes are no C difficile GDH/Toxin A and B with refl to PCR; sputum directly into the device, avoiding excess saliva
Instructions
longer recommended C difficile Toxin B Screen; C difficile Culture • Then open the plastic base of the device
• Submit air-dried blood smears (one “Thick”
and one “Thin”) on 2 separate glass slides in Instructions Refrigerated transport: • Remove the conical tube
2 separate slide holders in addition to the test tube Sputum/Lower Respiratory Culture; Fungal or Mycobacterial
• Collect blood • Screw on the provided green cap tightly
Cultures on Urine; bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for
• See the Test Directory for details • Gently mix the bottle by inverting Mycoplasma pneumoniae DNA PCR Wearing gloves, label the tube with patient information and
after collection date/time of collection. Double bag, refrigerate until transport.
Room temperature transport: Submit only the green-cap, 50-mL tube to the lab on cold packs.
• Leave at room temperature Hair, Nails, Skin for Fungus Culture; Preserved Insect or Tick;
Speedy code: T59
until transported Preserved Worm
Speedy code: OF02
Slide only speedy code: ST26
Myco/F Lytic bottle speedy code: BC04 Speedy code: U02
Slide holder speedy code: SP41
 25 Anaerobic Transport Medium and Anaerobic Tissue
Transport Medium

Instructions
• For tissue samples, open the screw cap and place tissue on the surface of the semisolid medium;
inserting the tissue into the gel is not necessary. Immediately close the tube
MISCELLANEOUS

Anaerobe Systems Morgan Hill, CA

Cat AS-914 Lot 2351318 Exp 2025-01-22
Anaerobic Transport Medium
• For syringe specimens, the rubber septum in the cap should be disinfected with ethyl alcohol and
the fluid specimen injected directly into the tube at a slow rate
• Transport at room temperature

CAT AS-919 LOT 2321919 EXP 2025-02-19

ANAEROBE SYSTEMS MORGAN HILL, CA
Anaerobic fluid transport medium speedy code: M12

Anaerobic tissue transport medium speedy code: M03

ATTM

For more information about infectious disease and immunology testing at

Quest Diagnostics, visit [Link]
For more information about all Quest Diagnostics testing, visit: [Link]/TestDirectory

Supplies ordered through Quest Diagnostics should only be used for collection for Quest Diagnostics testing.

Image content features models and is intended for illustrative purposes only.

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