Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Preferred:

Stool

Container/Tube: Tightly-sealing, leakproof container(s)

Specimen Volume: Walnut-sized portion of fresh, unpreserved liquid or soft stool

Collection Instructions:

1. Collect fresh, unpreserved liquid or soft stool.
2. If specimen is collected in a bedpan or collection “hat”, patient should urinate into another container before collecting stool specimen.
3. Those portions of stool containing blood and mucus are especially significant and should be transferred into container.
4. Label container with patient’s legal name, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
5. Refrigerate specimen after collection.

Note:

1. Do not collect specimen from toilet.
2. Specimen in diaper is not acceptable. Stool material should be scraped into a clean, dry container. Pediatric patients with severe diarrhea may use a U-Bag collection system. Place U-Bag over urethra to prevent urine from contaminating specimen.
 

Alternate:

Rectum

Container/Tube: Swab transport tube(s)
Specimen Volume: Entire specimen
Collection Instructions: Obtain specimen using a culture swab as follows:

1. Carefully insert large culture swab approximately 1 inch beyond anal sphincter.
2. Gently rotate swab to sample anal crypts. Feces should be evident on swab.
3. Insert swab into moist sponge in swab container to preserve specimen.
4. Label container with patient’s legal name, date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.