Specimen Requirements

Specimen should arrive as soon as possible after collection.

Preferred:

Aspirate

Container/Tube: Sterile container(s)
Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL of aspirate

Collection Instructions: Aspirate material from closed abscess using sterile syringe as follows:

1. Disinfect skin surface with 70% alcohol. Allow to dry.

2. Aspirate deepest portion of abscess with sterile needle and syringe or catheter.

3. Transfer aspirate to sterile container.

4. Label container with patient’s legal name, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

Note: Specimen source is required.

Alternate:

Swab

Container/Tube: Swab(s)
Specimen Volume: Entire specimen

Collection Instructions: If unable to collect aspirate, 1 sterile culture swab may be used to obtain specimen as follows:

1. Pass swab deep into abscess and sample lesion’s advancing edge. 

2. Insert swab into moist sponge in swab container to preserve specimen.

3. Label container with patient’s legal name, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.

Note: Specimen source is required.