cup, urine vacutainer, urine tube with preservative
Urine
2.0 mL
Secure the lid tightly to prevent any leakage.
Transport the specimen to the laboratory as soon as possible after collection, ideally within 30 minutes.
Refrigerate the sample (at 2-8°C, do not freeze) if transport is delayed beyond 30 minutes, to inhibit the overgrowth of other bacteria.
Place the container in a sealed biohazard plastic bag for transport.
Specimen or swab in M4 or UTM,
Formed stool,
Frozen,
Diaper or bedpan,
Bag or tissue paper,
Unsealed containers or non-medical home containers,
Multiple specimens (more than one in 24 hours),
Dry specimen,
Delayed transport to lab without preservative,
Unlabeled, leaky, or broken container
Stool samples mixed with urine, barium or with diaper cream
REFRIGERATED
Mon-Sat
A day after collection
qPCR
Molecular
RML
S. agalactiae
Group B Strep
Group B Streptococcus
GBS
Test
Improper collection (e.g., non-clean-catch method): Contamination with normal skin flora can lead to inaccurate results.
Improper labeling or unlabeled specimen: Missing patient identifiers or date/time of collection may result in the specimen being rejected by the lab.
Delayed transport without refrigeration: This can cause bacterial overgrowth, compromising the sensitivity and accuracy of the results.
Specimen collected from an indwelling catheter bag: The urine in the bag may be old and contaminated; a fresh sample must be collected aseptically from the catheter port.
Presence of a preservative (if the test is for culture): Some urine containers have preservatives (e.g., for 24-hour collections or general urinalysis) that can interfere with the GBS culture process; a specific sterile container for culture should be used.
Prior antibiotic use: If possible, collect the sample before the patient starts any antimicrobial therapy, as antibiotics can affect bacterial growth in the culture.
The required method is typically a “”clean-catch midstream”” urine sample to minimize contamination from external bacteria.
Provide the patient with clear, step-by-step written and verbal instructions on the clean-catch procedure.
Instruct the patient to wash their hands thoroughly before collection.
For female patients, instruct them to separate the labia and clean the area with provided wipes from front to back.
For male patients, if uncircumcised, instruct them to retract the foreskin and clean the head of the penis with a wipe.
The patient should begin urinating into the toilet, then stop the flow and continue urinating into the sterile container to collect the midstream portion.
The patient should avoid touching the inside of the cup or lid during collection.
The lab requisition form should note if the patient has a penicillin allergy if susceptibility testing is needed.
87653
72607-5
