Intermountain Laboratory Services
Salt Lake City, Utah
MI1100-A1 (05/12)
Page 1 of 2
Microbiology Collection Media and Specimen Transport
Specimen Type
(by source or test)
ANAEROBIC, AEROBIC &
ROUTINE CULTURES
Preferred Collection Media
& Media Storage
Blue top BBL CultureSwab
Plus w/ Amies gel w/o
charcoal
Storage
after Collection
Room temperature
Room temperature
BODY FLUIDS,
WOUND ASPIRATES
Syringe specimen
Room temperature
Sterile container without
preservative
NASOPHARYNGEAL
CULTURES
RAPID RSV
(Respiratory Syncytial
Virus)
THROAT SWABS RAPID STREP GROUP A
THROAT SWABS - STREP
CULTURE
PCR – N. gonorrhoeae,
Chlamydia, herpes, or other
viruses
Green top BBL
Room temperature
Nasal washing /
nasopharyngeal aspirate
Flocked nasopharyngeal
swab in M4/UTM (red lid w/
pink fluid)
Red top BBL CultureSwab
with liquid Stuart sponge
Room temperature
Red top BBL CultureSwab
with liquid Stuart sponge
or
Blue top BBL CultureSwab
Plus w/ Amies gel w/o
charcoal
M4/UTM viral transport (red
lid w/ pink fluid)
VIRAL CULTURES
Room temperature or
refrigerate
M4 or UTM viral transport
MYCOPLASMA/
UREAPLASMA CULTURES
Refrigerate
M4 viral transport (blue lid
with pink fluid)
STERILE SPECIMEN
Sputum & Tissue
Refrigerate
Sterile containers
Anaerobic transport media
Room temperature
PRENATAL STREP
SCREEN
Room temperature
CultureSwab with liquid
Stuart sponge
Red top BBL CultureSwab
with liquid Stuart sponge
or
Blue top BBL CultureSwab
Plus w/ Amies gel w/o
charcoal
Room temperature
Comments
Maintains organism for 24-48 hrs. Good for
most bacteria.
Anaerobic cultures must also have an aerobic
culture ordered.
** Not for rapid antigen screens such as
Rapid Strep.
Transport to lab ASAP.
Transport only after the needle has been
removed.
Transport with original Luer lock cap. (Contact
laboratory to order extra caps.)
For Bordetella pertussis, the preferred method
is PCR.
Refrigerate
Room temperature
Submit 2 swabs (comes w/ 2): one for the
rapid test, one for back-up culture if
necessary.
Room temperature
Room temperature
Refrigeration is
optional for PCR
specimens.
Refrigerate
At lab within 4 hrs
if possible.
Room temperature
If received within 4
hrs.
Refrigerate if over
4 hours.
Room temperature
DO NOT use for Mycoplasma / Ureaplasma
cultures.
Do not place CSF, body fluids or urine in
M4/UTM. Use sterile container.
Sputum and tissue specimens must be
delivered to lab ASAP.
Note if patient has penicillin allergy.
Intermountain Laboratory Services
Salt Lake City, Utah
MI1100-A1 (05/12)
Page 2 of 2
Specimen Type
(by source or test)
STOOL CULTURES
Preferred Collection Media
& Media Storage
ETM (transport media)
Not performed on formed
stool.
Clean screw-capped
container for unpreserved
specimens.
OVA & PARASITE
GIARDIA ANTIGEN
TESTING
FECAL WBC, C. DIFFICILE
or ROTAVIRUS
Protofix-CLR
Room temperature
Clean container
Clean screw- capped
container
Refrigerate
Refrigerate up to
72 hrs
Gray top BD Urine
Room
temperature, 2
days.
Must be filled to the fill line.
Refrigerate up to
72 hrs.
Room temperature
<4 hrs
Sterile screw -capped container may be used
for routine urinalysis.
For trichomonas or yeast, transport to lab
ASAP.
Refrigerate
Blood and CSF specimens have special
requirements; call laboratory for
information.
Not performed on formed
stool.
URINE CULTURE
Vacutainer/ Urine
Preservative Formula
GENITAL WET PREPS
FUNGAL CULTURES
Sterile screw -capped
container
Minimal sterile saline
or
Red top BBL CultureSwab
with liquid Stuart sponge
Fluid or tissue in sterile
container (preferred over
swab)
Storage
after Collection
Transport media,
room temperature.
Unpreserved over
2 hours, place in
transport media.
Comments
Good for 24-48 hrs.
Specimen must not be contaminated with
urine or toilet water, or be from a diaper.
Submit fresh (unpreserved) specimens to lab
preferably within 2 hours of collection.
Stool culture for enteric pathogens includes
campylobacter, shigella, and salmonella
testing unless otherwise indicated.
Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) testing
should be performed on bloody stools and
must be ordered by a clinician.
If no history of travel, immune status or risk
factors is/are indicated, Giardia Antigen will be
performed.
Submit fresh (unpreserved, room temperature)
specimens to lab, preferably within 2 hours of
collection.
Gray top not suitable for urinalysis.
Room temperature
Red top BBL CultureSwab
ACID FAST BACILLUS
(AFB) CULTURES
with liquid Stuart sponge
or
Blue top BBL CultureSwab
Plus w/ Amies gel w/o
charcoal
or
Green top BBL
CultureSwab with liquid
Stuart sponge
Fluid or tissue in sterile
container (preferred over
swab)
Refrigerate
Room temperature
Blood and CSF specimens have special
requirements; call laboratory for
information.
Red top BBL CultureSwab
with liquid Stuart sponge
or
Blue top BBL CultureSwab
Plus w/ Amies gel w/o
charcoal
or
Green top BBL
CultureSwab with liquid
Stuart sponge
If you have any questions about specimen collection,
storage or transport, please call the laboratory.