CLINICAL CONDITION COMMONLY IDENTIFIED ORGANISMS APPROPRIATE APPROPRIATE TESTING/TREATMENT ISSUES

SPECIMENS STORAGE
TEMPERATURES
Conjunctivitis Staphylococcus aureus Eye Swab Room temperature Susceptibility testing not
Streptococcus pneumoniae routinely performed as in vitro
Haemophilus influenzae may not accurately reflect in vivo
activity of topical antimicrobial
agents
Otitis externa Pseudomonas aeruginosa Ear swab Refrigerate 2-8°C Tympanocentesis indicated for
Staphylococcus aureus microbiological diagnosis of otitis
Streptococcus pyogenes media
Pharyngitis Streptococcus pyogenes Posterior pharynx Refrigerate 2-8°C Susceptibility testing not
and tonsillar swab- routinely performed- no recorded
throat swab resistant to penicillin
GAS may be macrolide resistant,
may need to perform
susceptibility testing for penicillin
allergic patients
Lower Respiratory tract Streptococcus pneumoniae Sputum into sterile Refrigerate 2-8°C All specimens undergo
infection Haemophilus influenzae container microscopic evaluation to
Moraxella catarrhalis BAL- sterile determine suitability for culture
container Perform beta lactamase for H.
influenzae and M. catarrhalis
Urinary tract infection E. coli Midstream urine Refrigerate 2-8°C Immediate refrigeration after
Klebsiella spp after appropriate specimen collection is essential
Proteus spp preparation for accurate diagnosis
Enterococcus spp Collect urine into
Staphylococcus saprophyticus sterile container
Coliforms
Bacterial Enteritis Campylobacter jejuni/coli Diarrheal stool into Refrigerate 2-8°C Susceptibility testing routinely
Salmonella spp enteric transport performed on isolates for
Yersinia enterolitica system e.i. Cary- Shigella and Salmonella
E. coli O157:H7 Blair. Only one
Shigella spp specimen per day
Antibiotic-induced Clostridium difficile toxin assay One specimen per Refrigerate 2-8°C Formed stool should be rejected
Diarrhea day, diarrheal stool
in a sterile
container without
transport medium
Skin/soft tissue Staphylococcus aureus Remove surface Room Temperature Superficial swabs may have
infections Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus exudates with 70% Anaerobic cultures doubtful value
Streptococcus anginosus group alcohol are set up
Staph aureus Aspirate exudates immediately
P. aeruginosa from abscess
Clostridium perfringens Use anaerobic
Brucella, Pasteurella, Haemophilus, swab collection for
Eikenella and Francisella deep wounds
Aeromonas and Vibrio
Listeria
N. meningitides
yeast

Urethritis Chlamydia trachomatis Male urethral swab Room Temperature Urine sample is an acceptable for
Neisseria gonorrhoeae Chlamydia and GC by PCR
Trichomonas vaginalis
Cervicitis Chlamydia trachomatis Endocervical swab Room Temperature Urine sample is an acceptable for
Neisseria gonorrhoeae Chlamydia and GC by PCR
Vaginitis/Vaginosis Trichomonas vaginalis Vaginal swab Room Temperature Rejects samples for GC
Bacterial vaginosis
Yeast
Bartholin cyst Anaerobes Anaerobic Room Temperature
Chlamydia collection system –
Neisseria gonorrhoeae aspirate fluid from
cyst
Group B Strep screening Group B Strep Vaginal swab Room temperature
in pregnancy
Multiple Resistance MRSA MRSA- nasal and Refrigerate 2-8°C
Organisms Surveillance VRE rectal swab
 CPE/ESBL VRE- rectal swab
CPE/ESBL- rectal
swab
Hair, Nails, or Skin Fungi Clean container- Room temperature
Scrapping black paper
Body Fluids- CSF, Joint, Any isolate is considered pathogenic Fluid collected in Set up as soon as Specimens are centrifuged, and
etc. sterile container, received in the lab the sediment used to inoculate
syringe Room temperature the plates and make Gram stain
Gram stains are called stat
If for viral culture (critical report) if any organisms
store at -70*C as seen
Grams are methanol fixed