Fungal Culture

Patient Preparation

• None

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

-  Material from site of infection

-  Culture isolate on Sabouraud's agar or other 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.

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

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

• None

• Store isolate at 17 - 25°C prior to shipping.

• 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 received three (3) days post collection

-  Specimens submitted in 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