Directions for the Collection of Specimens for the Laboratory Diagnosis of 
Certain Bacterial, Mycotic, Parasitic, Arthropod-Borne, Viral and 
Rickettsial Diseases 
In any epidemic situation involving the collection of 
specimens for laboratory examination, the epidemi- 
ologist should consult the director of the laboratory 
where the work is to be done to make sure that: (a) 
the tests to be requested are available, (b) the cul- 
ture media and reagents required will be ready when 
needed, and (c) the collection and submission of 
specimens is scheduled at a rate that will not overtax 
the facilities. 
BACTERIAL DISEASES 
1. Anaerobes (diseases due to). The major areas 
of public health interest in which anaerobic 
bacteria are implicated are: 1) wound infection, 
2) food poisoning outbreaks due to Clostridium 
botulinum, 3) food poisoning due to Clostridium 
perjringens, 4) tetanus, and 5) infections with 
non-sporeforming anaerobic bacteria. Specimens 
may be as diverse as food, blood, tissue, cere- 
brospinal fluid, or materials from wounds, ab- 
scesses, and serous cavities. Culture and toxin 
testing of food samples should be attempted in 
a local laboratory only if the personnel are ex- 
perienced in anaerobic techniques. Otherwise, 
the specimen should be forwarded to the near- 
est competent reference laboratory. Certainly, 
however, a smear of the original food specimen 
should be made for Gram staining since study 
of this smear will give the laboratorian a census 
of the relative numbers and different kinds of 
bacteria present. Such information may be im- 
portant in concluding whether a presumptively 
significant organism was recovered during 
culture. 
a. Food specimens for isolation of Cl. botu- 
linum and/ or toxin 
Specimens should be collected and main- 
tained at the same temperature as in the 
natural state for transport to the laboratory 
or shipment to a reference laboratory. Lab- 
oratory testing consists of detection and 
typing of Cl. botulinum toxin in the food as 
well as isolation and identification of the 
causative organism. 
b. Food specimens for enumeration of Cl. 
perfringens 
Quantitation of Cl. perfringens from food 
should be performed in a local laboratory as 
soon as possible after the food is collected. 
If the material must be shipped, it should 
be refrigerated at 4°C. and maintained at 
this temperature during transport. At 4°C., 
some organisms will die, thus causing lower 
counts. This fact should be kept in mind in 
interpreting counts. Freezing of specimens 
drastically lowers counts, and shipment with- 
out refrigeration permits multiplication of 
the organisms, thus producing unusually 
high counts. 
c. Specimens from human sources 
Clinical material must be cultured immedi- 
ately after collection since some anaerobes 
die very rapidly upon exposure to oxygen 
in a nonprotective environment. Where 
possible, aspirated fluids are preferable to 
swabs. Never allow material on swabs to 
dry out. If a specimen cannot be cultured 
immediately, it is helpful to place the ma- 
terial in a medium containing a reducing 
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