Specimen Requirements

Submit only one of the following

Specimen Type: Respiratory specimens such as sputum, ETT, tracheal, gastric aspirates (laryngeal swabs, throat swabs, nasal swabs, nasopharyngeal swabs from paediatric patient)
Container/Tube: Sterile screw-capped container, eSwab, M40 transystem Amies agar transport media (for non-NUH patients)
Volume: 5.0 mL, Entire swab
Minimum Volume: 2.0 mL, 1 swab
Collection Instructions: First morning, deep cough specimen is preferred.

Please refer to eSwab Training Slides.

Specimen Type: Tissues, biopsies and wound swabs
Container/Tube: Sterile screw-capped container, eSwab, M40 transystem Amies agar transport media (Copan)(for non-NUH patients)
Volume: Tissues / biopsies - as much as possible

               Wound swabs - 1 swab

Collection Instructions: Wounds - Collect specimen with sterile swab with transport medium.

Please refer to eSwab Training Slides.

Specimen Type: Urine
Container/Tube:  2 or more sterile containers without boric acid
Minimum Volume: At least 40.0 mL
Collection Instructions: Submit first pass early morning urine in 2 or more sterile containers. Mid-stream, catheterized and 24-hour pooled urine are not advisable.

AFB smear is not performed for urine specimens.

Specimen Type: Gastric Washings, CSF, Peritoneal fluid, Pleural fluid, Synovial fluid, other fluids.
Container/Tube: Sterile screw-capped container
Volume: 3.0 mL for CSF; 5.0 mL for other fluids
Minimum Volume: 2.0 mL
Collection Instructions: Gastric lavage should be collected before breakfast.

Specimen Type: Blood / Bone marrow
Container/Tube: Green Top (Lithium Heparin)
Volume: 4.5 mL
Collection Instructions: AFB smears is not performed for blood specimens.

Specimen Type: Bronchial Washings
Container/Tube: Sterile screw-capped container
Volume: 5.0 mL
Minimum Volume: 2.0 mL