Preferred Sample Type
Sample Preparation
If unable to send immeadiately please refrigerate sampleTurnaround Time
3 daysSample Stability
Specimen stored for a weekWound, Ulcer, skin swab culture & susceptibility.
General Information
New Liquid culture swabs replacing the old charcoal swabs from 06/06/12 onwards. Please make sure no charcoal swabs are sent otherwise they will be rejected. Please refer to clinical bacteriology section in Microbiology services
Patient Preparation
Skin swabs
- For cutaneous sampling, moisten swab with sterile saline and roll e-swab along the area of skin to be sampled.
Wound swabs
- Rotate the e-swab swab tip over a 1 cm square area of viable tissue, at or near the centre of the wound for 5 seconds, applying enough pressure to express tissue fluid from the wound bed.
- If the wound is dry, the tip of the swab should be moistened with sterile saline.
- NB: If pus is present, it should be aspirated using a sterile syringe and decanted into a sterile specimen pot.
Ulcer swabs
- Cleanse the wound with tap water or saline to remove surface contaminants.
- Slough and necrotic tissue should also be removed.
- Swab viable tissue displaying signs of infection whilst rotating the e-swab.
Notes
Order liquid swabs from requisition form provided to your department.
Specifications
- EQA Scheme?: Yes
- EQA Status: NEQAS