—

Use maximum volume attainable

—

Gastric lavage fluid > 5–10 mL in sterile container.

Collect in the morning soon after

the patient awakens in order to

obtain sputum swallowed during

sleep

Collect fasting early morning

specimen on three consecutive

days. Use sterile saline. Adjust to

neutral pH with 10 mg of sodium

carbonate immediately following

collection

Laboratory should provide

collection tube containing

sodium carbonate

Specimen that has not been

neutralized

Lymph node Node or portion on sterile

container without fixative or

preservative

Collect aseptically, and avoid

indigenous microbiota. Select

caseous portion if available. Do

not immerse in saline or other

fluid or wrap in gauze

Specimen submitted in formalin

Skin lesion Submit biopsy specimen in

sterile container without fixative

or preservative. Submit aspirate

in syringe with Luer tip cap

Swabs in transport medium

(Amies or Stuarts) are

acceptable only if biopsy sample

or aspirate is not obtainable. For

cutaneous ulcer, collect biopsy

sample from periphery of lesion,

or aspirate material from under

margin or lesion

Dry swab

Contd...