Specimen Requirements

Call St. Luke’s Hospital Microbiology Laboratory at 218-249-5319 to obtain Eye Tray including 5 Kimura platinum spatula and media plates.

Specimen must arrive within 15 minutes of collection.

Conjunctiva

1. Collect specimen before application of topical anesthetics.

2. Using a premoistened, sterile swab, collect purulent material from surface of lower conjunctival sac and inner canthus of eye.
3. Repeat with second swab on unaffected eye. Unaffected eye serves as control.

4. Inoculate directly to media plates, then smear swab on 2 glass slides.

5. Label plates/slides with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
6. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. Do not refrigerate.

Note:  1. If culture media is not available, submit culture swab in transport tube.

2. Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Corneal Scraping

1. Instill 2 drops of topical anesthetics.

2. An ophthalmologist should obtain scrapings of the cornea, ulcers, or lesions, with a heat-sterilized, Kimura platinum spatula.

3. Inoculate directly to media plates, then smear swab on 2 glass slides.

4. Label plates/slides with patient’s name (first and last), date and actual time of collection, and type of specimen.
5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only. Do not refrigerate.

Note:   Specimen source is required on request form for processing.