Specimen Requirements

Specimen Type: Endotracheal aspirate, sputum, or transtracheal aspirate, deep pharyngeal swab

Container/Tube: Screw-capped, sterile container or Lukens trap, eSwab and transport

Specimen Volume: Entire collection

Collection Instructions:

1. Specimen source and time of collection are required.

2. Label container/trap with patient’s full name, date of birth, and date and time of collection. Note on container that is was collected from a CF patient.

Sputum: The patient should brush his/her teeth and/or rinse mouth well with water before attempting to collect the specimen, in order to reduce the possibility of contaminating the specimen with food particles, oropharyngeal secretions, etc. Instruct the patient that only a specimen brought forth by deep cough should be expectorated into the container. After the specimen has been collected, it should be examined to make sure it contains a sufficient quantity (at least 1 mL) of thick mucus (not saliva). Only the screw-cap container should be submitted to the laboratory.

Deep pharyngeal swab (cough or gagged throat specimen): Place a plastic shaft polyester-tipped eSwab in the back of the throat and induce coughing. Remove the swab when coughed secretions have been collected on the swab. Place swab in plastic transport sleeve containing preservative medium and submit to the laboratory.

Note: This technique is used in those CF patients who are unable to produce sputum.

For sputum collection, the patient should be instructed to remove dentures, rinse mouth, and gargle with water. Instruct the patient to cough deeply and expectorate sputum into proper container. Be sure the patient understands the difference between sputum and saliva.