Specimen Requirements

Adult (>12 years): Collect one Isolator tube or SPS tube for each fungal culture order.  The Isolator 10 system or SPS tube is used whenever more than 1.5 ml of blood can be obtained for culture. Ideally, approximately 10.0 ml of blood is collected directly into the tube, or collected in a sterile syringe, then injected into the tube. For difficult draws when only 1.5 ml or less blood can be obtained, the blood is collected or injected into an Isolator 1.5. Do not overfill Isolator tubes, as the anticoagulant may not work properly.

Pediatric: If 1.5 ml or less is obtained inoculate the Isolator 1.5 tube.

The blood is thoroughly mixed with the anticoagulant in the tube. The specimen is labeled taken to the microbiology department for processing and incubation.