Transport and storage of microbiological patient samples

Blood

Material	Transport containers	Storage / Transport
Adults: 8 - 10 ml	Blood culture bottles Bactec aerobic+anaerobic	maximum 24 h at room temperature; specify time of collection!
Children: 0.5 - 5 ml	Bactec Peds	maximum 24 h at room temperature; specify time of collection!
Blood for antibody analysis	Serum monovette	cool, 4 - 10°C, transport in 24 h
Blood for parasite detection	EDTA-Monovette	Direct transport

Catheter tips

Material	Transport containers	Storage / Transport
Catheter tips	Sterile tube	Direct transport

Lower airways, lungs

Material	Transport containers	Storage / Transport
Sputum, tracheal bronchial secretion 3 - 5 ml	Sterile sputum tubes	Direct transport, max. 2 h at room temperature
Pleural fluid	see "sterile body cavities

Biopsy material

Material	Transport containers	Storage / Transport
Biopsy material	Punktured material on the surface of the Port-a-cul	Direct transport

Ear

Material	Transport container	Storage / Transport
Middle ear secretion with V.a. Otitis media	Punctured material on the surface of the Port-a-cul	max. 12 h at room temperature
Auditory canal swab	Aerobic universal medium with thin swab	max. 24 h at room temperature

Eye

Material	Transport container	Storage / Transport
Conjunctival swab	aerobic universal medium with swab	few hours at room temperature
For chlamydia	special swab instruments	max. 48 h; at 2 - 8°C
Cell material	Put material on the surface of the Port-a-cul	direct transport
Vitreous body fluid	see "sterile body cavities"

Sterile body cavities

Material	Transport container	Storage / Transport
Punctates, e.g. pleura, ascites, vitreous fluid	Put as much material as possible (5 - 10 ml) into a sterile tube (black screw cap) Outside the acceptance time: add 1 - 2 ml of material to agar of the Port-a-cul tube and inoculate an aerobic + anaerobic blood culture bottle	Direct transport

Skin/ Soft tissue

Material	Transport container	Storage / Transport
Exudates (closed process) preferably 2 ml	Put material on the surface of the Port-a-cul	max. 12 h at room temperature
Exudates (open process) if possible 2 ml, wound swabs	Universal aerobic medium or Port-a-cul tube for deep wounds (anaerobic)	max. 24 h at room temperature
pieces of tissue	Put material on the surface of the Port-a-cul	direct transport

Genital tract

Material	Transport container	Storage / Transport
Vaginal, cervical, urethral swab (for bacteria, fungi)	Aerobic universal medium with swab	max. 24 h at 4 - 10°C
Cervical Urethral Swab (for Chlamydia)	Special swab instruments for Chlamydia. Here you find instructions for correct sampling	max. 48 h at 4 - 10°C
Vaginal, cervical, urethral swab (for gonococcus)	Transport medium black	Direct transport
Endometrium	Put the protected swab into Port-a-cul tubes	Direct transport
Prostatic secretion, ejaculate (2ml)	Place material on the surface of the Port-a-cul tube	max. 4 h at room temperature

Upper digestive tract

Material	Transport container	Storage / Transport
Gastric biopsy for Helicobacter	Place pieces of tissue on the surface of the Port-a-cul tube	Direct transport
Esophageal swab	Aerobic universal medium with swab	max. 48 h at 4 - 10°C
Rinsing liquid on fungi	Universal medium	max. 24 h at 4 - 10°C

Lower digestive tract

Material	Transport container	Storage / Transport
Stool on bacteria, fungi, EHEC	Cary-Blair stool transport tubes (yellow label)	max. 48 h at 4 - 10°C
Stool on worm eggs	SAF stool tubes (green label)	max. 24 h at 4 - 10°C
Stool on oxyurs	Tesa adhesive strips on slides	Transport in a few hours, sample cooling
Stool on protozoa (antigen detection)	Stool tubes without transport medium (white label)	max. 48 h at 4 - 10°C
Stool for toxin detection (Clostridium difficile or perfringens)	Stool tubes without transport medium (white label)	max. 24 h at 4 - 10°C

Urine

Material	Transport container	Storage / Transport
Midstream urine, catheter urine, bladder puncture urine	Add 10 ml to urine monovette (yellow monovette)	cool, few hours storage possible

CNS and bone marrow

Material	Transport containers	Storage / Transport
Throat, tonsils, nasal swab	Aerobic universal medium	max. 24 h at 4 - 10°C
Laryngeal epiglottis swab	Aerobic universal medium with thin swab (orange)	Direct transport, max. 2 h at room temperature
Nasal sinus secretion	Put the dotted material on the Port-a-cul conveyor	max. 12 h at room temperature

Upper respiratory tract

Material	Transport containers	Storage / Transport
Laryngeal epiglottis swab	Aerobic universal medium with thin swab (orange)	Direct transport, max. 2 h at room temperature
Nasal sinus secretion	Punctured material on the Port-a-cul conveyor	max. 12 h at room temperature