Swab Collection and Shipping SOP for Microbiology

Oral Swab Collection SOP for Microbiology

Obtain a small wire shaft culture swab with Aimies gel transport medium without charcoal (e.g. Becton Dickenson BBL CultureSwab Plus with Amies Gel medium without charcoal for aerobic organisms. BBL cat. # 220118; Fisher Scientific cat. # L4320118).Manually restrain the mouse or rat and swab the oral cavity. Securely place the swab in the transport medium.Send the culture swabs in transport medium by overnight courier in an insulated container on ice packs, making sure that there is insulation (e.g. bubble pack) between the ice packs and the culture swabs so the swabs do not freeze.

Anaerobic and Fastidious Bacterial Swab Collection SOP for Microbiology

Obtain a culture swab designed for the collection and transport of anaerobic and fastidious organisms (e.g Becton Dickenson BBL ESwab Collection Kit. BBL cat.# 220245; Fisher Scientific cat.#22-349-700). Collect the specimen with the swab. Aseptically unscrew and remove the cap from the transport tube. Insert the swab into the transport tube and break the swab shaft at the indicated breakpoint. Replace the cap and screw the cap on tightly. Send the culture swabs by overnight courier in an insulated container on ice packs, making sure that there is insulation (e.g. bubble pack) between the ice packs and the culture swabs so the swabs do not freeze.