Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Preferred:

Bronchial Aspirate, Bronchial Lavage or Bronchial Washings
1. Aseptically collect >1 mL of bronchial aspirate, bronchial lavage, or bronchial washings in a sterile sputum trap.
2. Avoid contaminating bronchoscope with tap water.
3. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Alternate:

Bronchial Brush
1. Submit bronchial brush in a screw-capped, sterile container with 1 mL of saline.

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.
Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Lung Biopsy

1. Place biopsy in sterile gauze to reduce excess fluid in a screw-capped, sterile container.
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.
Note:  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. Pneumocystis is rarely observed in induced sputum from non-autoimmune deficiency patients.
2. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.