Specimen Requirements

Preferred: Green top (sodium or lithium heparin)

Acceptable: SPS (sodium polyanethol sulfonate)

Specimen Volume: 8 to 10 mL per culture

Collection Instructions:

1. Send whole blood specimen in original tube.

2. SPS tubes are acceptable, but not preferred.

3. Note: SPS tubes must be clearly labeled as SPS. If label is obscured, sample may be canceled, as ACD (yellow top) is not an acceptable tube type.

SPECIMEN MINIMUM VOLUME 

5 mL