Physician Office Specimen Requirements

See “Anaerobic Culture (Acceptable Specimens)” in “Special Instructions” for acceptable and unacceptable specimen types.

Submit specimen in a BBL^TM Port-A-Cul^TM vial; a sterile, red-top container; or a screw-capped, sterile container. If specimen is bloody, place in a yellow-top SPS tube. Swab is acceptable but not recommended. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. Do not place on wet ice or refrigerate.

Note:  Label container/tube/vial with patient’s full name and 1 additional unique patient identifier such as date of birth, medical record number, emergency ID number, date and time of collection, collector’s initials, and type of specimen.