Blastomyces

Patient Preparation

• Collection of fluid from respiratory tract or a tissue biopsy.

• Acceptable Specimen Sources/Type(s) for Submission:

- Collection of fluid from respiratory tract or a tissue biopsy

- Culture isolate on Sabouraud's agar or appropriate media (i.e. potato                dextrose agar, potato flake agar, inhibitory mold agar, brain heart                      infusion, brain heart infusion with sheeps blood, brain heart infusion with      chloramphenicol, Brain Heart Infusion with  gentamicin, Sabouraud Brain      Heart infusion with chloramphenicol and gentamicin, SDA Emmons, SDA        Emmons with cycloheximide and chloramphenicol) in screw capped                tube.  

- Only pure cultures will be accepted.

• Specimen must be labeled with at least two unique patient identifiers and match accompanying PH-4182 Clinical Submission Requisition.

• Isolate should be submitted on either primary media or subculture after growth is visible.

• Store isolate at 17-25°C.

• Ship specimen at 17-25°C.
• All infectious substance shipments must conform to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR 49 C.F.R. Parts 171-180). 

• Unsatisfactory specimens include, but may not be limited to:

     - The specimen was broken or leaked in transit

     - No specimen was in the container submitted

     - Raw specimens that were over three (3) days past collection

     - Specimens submitted in a containers that do not meet DOT and IATA criteria              for shipment of cultures

     - Specimens overgrown with organisms that cannot be separated from the                    submitted isolate

     - Unsatisfactory specimen types (i.e.  Foley or urinary catheter                                            tips, Lochia, Vomitus, Colostomy discharge materials, Stool specimens, Gastric          contents or gastric washings)

• Nashville