Swabs - skin, superficial wounds
| About This Test |
|
Department: Microbiology, Virology and Molecular Microbiology Requirement: Unless otherwise stated, swabs for bacterial and fungal culture should then be placed in Amies transport medium with charcoal. Samples of pus/exudate, if present, are preferred to swabs
Turnaround Time: 2-3 days |
Culture for a range of common pathogens causing superficial wound infections
Other Comments:
Collection container: Amies swab with charcoal
Special instructions:
Relevant clinical data and details of recent or current antimicrobial treatment should be provided.
Collect specimens before antimicrobial therapy where possible.
If specimens are taken from ulcers, the debris on the ulcer should be removed and the ulcer should be cleaned with saline.
Swabbing dry crusted areas is unlikely to yield the causative pathogen.
Sample a representative part of the lesion.
State the specific anatomical site of the sample.
NB Please state if IVDU, contact with animals or livestock, recent or prolonged foreign travel.
Please send biopsy if tropical ulcer
Specimen transport: If transport is delayed, refrigeration is preferable to storage at ambient temperature