Eye Culture

Aspirate, Pus, Drainage

1. Collect specimen of purulent discharge using a blue (modified Amies) transport swab or green (Liquid Stuart) Mini-Tip CULTURETTE^TM swab.

2. Label device or swab with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, and type of specimen.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. Do not refrigerate.

Note:  Specimen source (right or left eye) is required on request form for processing.

Conjunctiva Swab
Conjunctiva (bacterial conjunctivitis) and lid margin (if staphylococcal blepharoconjunctivitis is suspected).

1. Obtain specimen with a blue (modified Amies) transport swab or green (Liquid Stuart) Mini-Tip CULTURETTE^TM swab.
2. Roll swab over conjunctiva before topical medications are applied.

3. Culture both eyes with separate swabs.

4. Place swab or drainage in a sterile culture transport tube.
5. Label tube with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, and type of specimen.
6. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. Do not refrigerate.

Note:  Specimen source (right or left eye) is required on request form for processing.

Corneal Scraping
1. Instruct opthalmologist to obtain corneal scraping from advancing edge of ulcer with a Kimura spatula.

2. Obtain approximately 3 to 5 scrapings per cornea.

3. Inoculate 1 culture swab and place in inoculated media.

4. Inoculate each set of scrapings onto an agar plate using a C-formation for each scraping in following order:  BAP agar, Gram stain slide, CHOC agar, SAB agar, thio broth.

5. Smear scraping onto 2 other glass slides for staining.

6. Label media and slides with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, and type of specimen.
7. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. Do not refrigerate.

Note:  Specimen source (right or left eye) is required on request form for processing.

Intraocular Fluid
1. Vitreous and anterior chamber fluid specimens are collected by a physician.

2. Specimen should be collected using a syringe (without needle) or blue (modified Amies) transport swab or green (Liquid Stuart) Mini-Tip CULTURETTE^TM swab.
3. Label container with patient’s name (first and last), medical record number (if available), date and time of collection, and type of specimen.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. Do not refrigerate.

Note:  Specimen source (right or left eye) is required on request form for processing.

Anaerobic bacterial culture:  no growth