Dermatophyte Culture

Procedure:

1. If dermatophytes are suspected, the infected area should be cleaned with alcohol prior to specimen collection. Skin scrapings or skin biopsies from the margins of active lesions should be submitted in sterile containers (red top tubes, sterile urine cup), culturettes with or without antibiotics, DTM media or in envelopes.
   
2. For suspected heir follicle infections, remove suspicious hairs with sterile forceps and place in a sterile container or envelope.
   
3. If submitting DTM media, please send culture as soon as growth is present. These cultures often have to be re-plated and may take a few weeks to reach maturity so the organism can be identified.

Fecal Culture

Procedure:

1. Stool cultures should be submitted on a Copan™ swab.
   
2. Anaerobic fecal cultures are not recommended unless a specific pathogenic organism is suspected. Normal stool contains latge numbers of different anaerobic bacterial species.
   
3. Salmonella, Shigella, Aeromonas, Vibrio and Plesiomonas species are included in all routine fecal cultures and will be reported, if present, along with antibiotic sensitivities. They do not have to be requested separately.

Fungal Wet Mount (KOH)

Two unstained slides are required for direct examination of fungi.

Fungal Culture

Specimens from infected sources are appropriate for fungal culture. Sterile containers are most appropriate for collection and transport. If both fungal and bacterial culture is necessary, submit an adequate amount of sample for both tests or submit separate Copan™ swabs for each culture. After collection, refrigerate sample until transported to laboratory.

Gram's Stain

Two unstained slides are required for gram staining. Label both slides with the patient name and source. Spread specimen evenly into a thin film on the center of the slides. Heat fix the slide.

Mycoplasma Culture

Sample should be submitted on a Copan™ swab.

The swab MUST be immediately refrigerated and transported with cold packs. The culture must arrive in the laboratory within 48 hours of collection. The culture will not be valid if the swab is kept at room temperature for 2–4 hours.

Tritrichomonas Culture

Fresh feces should be submitted in sterile red top container to which 1ml sterile saline is added. Maintain sample at room temperature until transport. Do not chill or freeze. Do not submit sample colledted from litter box.

Urine Culture

All urine specimens should be submitted in a sterile culture tube or Copan™ swab. Transfer urine collected by syringe into a sterile tube. Do not send syringes.

Urine from cystocentesis is the preferred specimen for urine culture. Mid-stream/clean catch and specimens from catheterization are acceptable, if performed with aseptic technique.

Although normal urine is sterile, it is a wonderful medium for growth of both pathogenic bacteria and normal flora. A single contaminating bacterium can overgrow a urine specimen in 2 to 4 hours. For this reason, refrigerate urine sample after collection until pickup and transport with a cold pack.

Urine received in a sterile cup will be given a quantitative colon count. For urine received on a Copan™ swab, a semi-quantitative colony count will be performed. Susceptibility testing is provided for all pathogenic bacteria isolated.