Acceptable specimens normally colonized: abscesses, deep wounds, intrauterine devices, percutaneous transtracheal aspirates, sterile body fluids, or suprapubic aspirations.

1. Submit a specimen collected from a source normally colonized by anaerobes and place the swab in an anaerobic transport vial.  Fluid or aspirate should be sent in a capped syringe.
2. Label the vial/syringe with the patient's full name, date of birth, identification number, date and time of collection, initials of the person collecting the specimen, and the specimen source.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.
4. The specimen source is required on the request form for processing.
5. Indicate "Physician is looking for Actinomyces" on the request form.

The specimen should arrive within 24 hours of collection.

87075 - Culture Anaerobic (EAP 30060240)