PLEASE NOTE: Samples and accompanying relevant patient/ isolate data maybe referred for confirmatory or further laboratory testing to Reference laboratories. Relevant Public Health departments may also be notified IF a notifiable disease is identified under the Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 53/2020).
NOTE: Samples for the investigation of mycobacterial disease, parasitic infection and fungal infection should be clearly marked as such, as these samples are not processed in Eurofins Biomnis in Ireland.
Preparation of patient: Collect specimens before antimicrobial therapy where possible.
Precautions: Specimens should be transported and processed as soon as possible. Sputum may be refrigerated for up to 2-3 h without an appreciable loss of pathogens. Any delay beyond this time may allow overgrowth of Gram-negative bacilli, and Haemophilus species and S. pneumoniae may be rendered non-viable. Where transport is difficult, specimens may be cultured up to 48 h after collection. If specimens are not processed on the same day as they are collected, interpretation of results should be made with care. For sputum specimens the material required is from the lower respiratory tract, expectorated by deep coughing. When the cough is dry, physiotherapy, postural drainage or inhalation of an aerosol before expectoration may be helpful. Saliva and pernasal secretions are not suitable.
If processing is delayed, refrigeration is preferable to storage at ambient temperature. Delays of over 48hr are undesirable.
