Sterile vial/container, syringe, test tube or microtube

or 

Plain cotton swab or gauze

1. Collect directly into a sterile vial/container.
2. If submitting a syringe, remove needle. Add cap to end of syringe.
3. If direct collection is not feasible, specimen may be collected using a plain cotton swab or gauze.
4. If gauze is used to collect specimen, circle area on the gauze where specimen was collected.
5. Place cotton swab or gauze in as small a container as possible (eg, plain test tube or collection container).
6. Do notcollect specimen with a culture swab.
7. Do notadd any liquid to the swab or gauze.

Freeze immediately

Sterile vial/container

Indicate specimen source. Include whether the source is from the right or left side of the body, if applicable.

Frozen (strict) - 14 days

• Specimens collected with additives such as microbiology media
• Specimens collected with a culture swab
• Specimens stored in storage tubes with TransFix/EDTA

Electrophoresis/Immunofixation

Negative