Specimens for culture MUST be collected properly prior to the initiation of antibiotic therapy to insure optimal conditions for the recovery of pathogens. The laboratory will identify isolates and perform antibiotic susceptibility testing where appropriate.

Collected at the right time. Collected in a way that minimises contamination. Collected in a way that reduces health and safety risk to all staff handling the specimen (including laboratory staff) Collected using the correct equipment.

There are four steps involved in obtaining a good quality specimen for testing: (1) preparation of the patient, (2) collection of the specimen, (3) processing the specimen, and (4) storing and/or transporting the specimen.

The accurate diagnostic and therapeutic decisions depends on the accuracy of these test results. To ensure the maximum accuracy proper patient preparation, specimen collection and handling are necessary. Precision of these results depends on the purity of the specimen and use of proper specimen collection equipments.

Specimen collection is a common component of routine checkups for your health. It goes hand-in-hand with lab tests, allowing medical professionals to obtain tissue or fluids to look for any changes in your health. In addition, they help physicians diagnose medical conditions, plan treatments, and monitor diseases.

The types of biological samples accepted in most clinical laboratories are: serum samples, virology swab samples, biopsy and necropsy tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, whole blood for PCR, and urine samples. These are collected in specific containers for successful processing in the laboratory.