Specimen Requirements

Specimen must arrive within 2 hours of collection.   Spit is unacceptable and will be rejected.

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Sputum, Expectorated
1. Under direct supervision of a nurse or physician, collect specimen as follows:

A. Instruct patient to brush his/her teeth and/or rinse mouth well with water to minimize contaminating specimen with food particles, mouthwash, or oral drugs.

B. Have patient remove dentures.

C. Instruct patient to take a deep breath, hold it momentarily, then cough deeply and vigorously into container, and collect 5 mL to 10 mL of discharged material. (Postnasal fluid is not acceptable.)
2. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  1. Acceptability is 1 specimen per day.

2. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Sputum, Induced

1. Instruct patient to brush his/her teeth and/or rinse mouth well with water to minimize contaminating specimen with food particles, mouthwash, or oral drugs.

2. With the aid of nebulizer, have patient inhale 25 mL of 3% to 10% sterile saline.

3. Collect induced sputum into a screw-capped, sterile container.

4. Avoid sputum contamination with nebulizer reservoir water.

5. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
6. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  1. Acceptability is 1 specimen per day.

2. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.