Diagnosis of infection in premature infants

Breast milk is not an acceptable specimen for anaerobic culture.

Sterile vial/container

Ask patient if she would prefer to hand express milk herself or have the provider do so.

Cleansing the nipple

• Place a towel in the patient’s lap before irrigation.
• Before milk expression, irrigate the nipple with sterile saline.
• Blot the nipple with sterile gauze after irrigation
• Cleanse each nipple with an alcohol wipe. Allow alcohol to dry.

Milk expression

• Remove gloves and clean hands.
• Apply clean gloves.
• Position dominant hand in a ‘‘C’’ shape, with pads of the thumb and fingers ~1.5 inches behind the nipple.
• Push straight back into the chest wall.
• Roll thumb and fingers forward to express milk without touching nipple directly.
• Allow the first few drops of milk to fall onto the towel.
• Express 5–10 mL of milk into a sterile cup without touching cup to nipple.
• Repeat for contralateral breast.

ESwab standard tip collection kit (white)

Sterile vial/container

ESwab (standard or mini):

Ambient - 48 hours

Refrigerated - 48 hours

Sterile vial/container:

Ambient - 24 hours 

• Improper label (unlabeled or mislabeled)
• Time delay between time of collection and receipt of specimen
• Inappropriate timing of collection
• Improper transport container
• Improper transport temperature
• Interfering substances
• Inappropriate specimen type
• Leaking container

Culture