CONTENTS 
Page 
Laboratory Services at the National Communicable Disease Center 1 
Procedures For Collection, Preparation, And Shipment Of Microbiological 
Speciments 2 
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS 2 
1. Basic Principles 2 
2. Infectious Diagnostic Specimens 2 
3. Identification of Specimens 2 
4. Packaging of Specimens 2 
5. Shipment of Specimens 3 
6. Criminal Statute (18 USC 1716 ) Pertaining to Shippers of Diagnostic Materials 3 
BACTERIOLOGICAL, MYCOLOGICAL, AND PARASITOLOGICAL SPECIMENS 3 
1. Bacterial Specimens 4 
2. Mycological Specimens 4 
3. Parasitological Specimens 4 
VIRAL AND RICKETTSIAL SPECIMENS 4 
MISCELLANEOUS SPECIMENS 5 
Directions For The Collection Of Specimens For The Laboratory Diagnosis Of 
Certain Bacterial, Mycotic, Parasitic, Arthropod-borne, Viral and Rickettsial 
Diseases 6 
BACTERIAL DISEASES 6 
1. Anaerobes (diseases due to) 6 
2. Anthrax 7 
3. Brucellosis 7 
4. Diphtheria 8 
5. Enteric Infections 8 
a. Typhoid Fever 8 
b. Salmonellosis 9 
c. Shigellosis 9 
d. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli 9 
6. Gonorrhea 10 
7. Hemolytic Streptococcus Infections 10 
8. Hemophilus Infections of the Pharynx and Conjunctiva 12 
9. Leptospirosis 12 
10. Meningitis 12 
11. Plague 13 
12. Syphilis 13 
13. Tuberculosis 15 
14. Tularemia 16 
MYCOTIC DISEASES 16 
1. Cutaneous Fungus Infections 16 
2. Subcutaneous Fungus Infections 17 
3. Systemic Fungus Infections 17 
a. Actinomycosis 17 
b. Coccidioidomycosis 18 
c. Histoplasmosis 18 
d. Fluorescent Antibody (FA) Staining 19 
PARASITIC DISEASES 19 
1. Blood Parasites 19 
2. Intestinal Parasites 22 
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