Aspirates - CSF, Pleural aspirate, Joint aspirate, Pericardial aspirate, Peritoneal fluid

Pus

Swabs - Wound swabs, Ear swabs, Throat swabs

Respiratory specimen - Sputum, Tracheal aspirate, Bronchioalveolar lavage, Bronchial washings

Tissue bits - Diabetic foot, bed sores, Necrotizing fasciitis

Peritoneal dialysis fluid

Genito-urinary samples - vaginal swabs, endometrial swabs, placental bits, cervical swab

Bone chips

Urethral swabs for gonorrhoea

Ocular specimen- conjunctival swab, corneal scraping, iris tissue, aqueous and vitreous aspirates

Swabs for surveillance cultures- nasal, axillary, perineal, web spaces

Tracheal swabs

Tracheal tips

Central line tips

Wound swabs in case of bedsore

Never refrigerate CSF samples collected in cases of suspected pyogenic meningitis

As far as possible collect specimens before starting antibiotic therapy

Wherever possible please collect pus/ tissue in place of swabs

Send tissue bits in sterile vials without saline

48 - 72 hours

(in most cases)

Mid stream clean catch urine

Urine collected from catheter

Percutaneous nephrostomy sample

Suprapubic aspirate

Foley's Catheter Tip

Urine collected from Urobag

Ensure that sample is immediately transported to the laboratory without delay

48 hours

(for Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio cholerae, Yersinia enterocolitica, Campylobacter)

Stool for hanging

drop and culture (suspected

cholera)

Stool for culture

Sensitivity

Rectal swabs (Send

in Cary Blair

Medium)

Faecal swabs

Stool not collected in sterile container

Ensure that sample is immediately transported to the laboratory without delay

48 – 72hrs

Blood in adult/ paediatric BACTEC bottles

Blood collected in adult/ paediatric conventional blood culture bottles

Bone marrow aspirate

Catheter tips

Conventional

Blood culture bottles should be inspected for turbidity prior to inoculation of sample, bottles found turbid prior to inoculation should not be used

Infective endocarditis-

send minimum three (3)

specimens from different

sites(mention sites)

Avoid sending pleural and

ascitic fluid in BACTEC bottles

CRBSI- 2 specimens (central and

peripheral) in BACTEC bottles,

not in conventional blood culture and mention on the bottles and in the requisition forms

48 hours (this is a preliminary report)

Final report shall be issued if only growth occurs after 48 hours and within a period of 7 days

Extended incubation upto 3 weeks for slow growing organisms like Brucella spp is possible after discussion with officer in charge

Tissue bits

Biopsy specimen (Saline)

Aspirates

Pus

Suprapubic aspirate

Stool

Endotracheal apirate

All specimen should be sent to the laboratory in Robertson’s cooked meat (RCM) medium

RCM should be collected from the anaerobic culture section of Department of Microbiology

Swabs

Voided urine

Superficial material collected from skin surfaces

Sputum

Avoid sending material for culture in the needle and syringe.

Transfer aspirated material to RCM.

Negative report shall be issued after 6 days

Extrapulmonary specimens

Pulmonary specimens (should be sent to DMC in Pulmonary medicine OPD)

1 day

Sputum – Two sputum samples (early morning & spot ) should be collected

Bronchial washings

Bronchioalveolar lavage

Aspirates

Urine

Gastric aspirate

Pus

Stool

Urine

Saliva

Specimens not labelled or incorrectly labelled

Specimens collected in unsterile containers

1-6 weeks

Negative report shall be issued after 6 week

Extrapulmonary specimens

All specimens from Pediatric TB

All specimens from HIV associated TB

Pulmonary specimens from Smear negative pulmonary TB

Urine

Stool

Blood

Completely filled form is mandatory for Nikshay entry

1 day

Pulmonary and Extrapulmonary specimens from clinically suspected cases

Urine

Stool

Blood

5 days

CSF for latex agglutination (Cryptococcal antigen)

24 hrs

Aspirates - CSF, Pleural

aspirate, Joint aspirate, pericardial aspirate, peritoneal fluid, aqueous humour, vitreous aspirate

Respiratory specimen -

Sputum, Tracheal aspirate,

Bronchioalveolar lavage,

Bronchial washings

Urine

Skin scrapings

Hair Clippings

Nail clippings

Pus

Tissue biopsy

Swabs

4 weeks

HIV 1 & 2 test (Anti HIV 1 & 2 antibodies by rapid test)

Serum

Test is performed only after complete written consent and HIV pretest counselling

24 hrs

CD4 counts

EDTA blood

Serum

Sample collection will be done on the day of test by Staff of Department of Microbiology

24 hrs (Test is done on every Monday and Friday)

Viral load determination for HIV1

EDTA blood

Serum

7 days (test done every Thursday)

Widal Test for Enteric Fever

Serum

24 hours

Standard agglutination test for Brucellosis

Serum

24 hours

Paul Bunnel Test forInfectious mononucleosis

Serum

24 hours

Weil-Felix test for Rickettsiosis

Serum

24 hours

Cold agglutination Test for Primary atypical pneumonia

Serum

24 hours

VDRL Test for Syphilis

Serum

Test put up once a week (Thursday)

TPHA Test for Syphilis

Serum

Test put up once a week (Thursday)

Test for detection of Rheumatoid factor

Serum

24 hours

Test for detection of Antistreptolysin O

Serum

24 hours

Test for C-Reactive protein

Serum

24 hours

Leptospira – IgM antibody detection

Serum

Once a week (Based on the number of samples)

Stool wet mount for ova and cyst

Stool specimen

2 hrs

Stool examination by concentration for ova and cysts

Stool specimen

4 hrs

Modified acid fast staining for Coccidian parasites

Stool specimen

2 hrs

Stool / aspirates for Amoebic culture

Liver abscess Stool

3 days

Wet mount of CSF/Corneal scrapings for Acanthamoeba

Corneal scrapings CSF

2 hrs

Indirect Haemagglutination test for amoebiasis

Serum

3 days

Indirect Haemagglutination test for Filariasis

Serum

3 days

Indirect Haemagglutination test Hydatid disease

Serum

3 days

Immunochromatographic test(ICT) for malarial parasite

Anticoagulated blood

2 hrs

Peripheral blood smear for malaria parasite

Anticoagulated blood

2 hours

Co-agglutination for Cysticercosis antigen in serum and urine

Serum

2 hrs

Co-agglutination test for Hydatid antigen in serum

Seruum

2 hrs

Western blot for Cysticercosis antibodies in serum

Serum

2 days

Western Blot for Hydatid antibodies in serum

Serum

2 days

ELISA for detection of HBsAg

Serum specimen

24 hrs

ICT for detection of HBsAg

Serum specimen

To be done after discussion with microbiologist

2 hrs

ELISA for detection of HBeAg

Serum specimen

7 days (test done every Thursday)

ELISA for detection of anti HBe antibodies

Serum specimen

7 days (test done every Thursday)

ELISA for detection of IgM Anti HBc antibodies

Serum specimen

7 days (test done every Wednesday)

ELISA for detection of Anti HCV antibodies

Serum specimen

48 hrs (test done every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday)

ELISA for detection of IgM Anti HAV antibodies

Serum specimen

7 days (test done every Monday)

ELISA for detection of IgM Anti HEV antibodies

Serum specimen

7 days (test done every Tuesday)

ICT for detection of Dengue NS1 antigen

Serum specimen

Done after discussion with Microbiologist

2 hours

ELISA for detection of Dengue NS1 antigen

Serum specimen

48 hours (test done every Monday, Wednesday & Friday)

ELISA for detection of Dengue IgM antibodies

Serum specimen

48 hours (test done every Monday, Wednesday & Friday)

ELISA for detection of IgM Anti Chikungunya antibodies

Serum sample

7 days (test done every Friday)

Smears for CMV inclusion bodies

Urine

24 hours

Indirect Immunofluorescence Test for Respiratory viruses(RSV, Influenza, Parainfluenza ,Human Metapneumovirus, Adenovirus

Throat swab Nasopharyngeal aspirate

Sample to be sent in Viral Transport medium

24 hours

Indirect Fluorescent Antibody (IFA) Test for Herpes Simplex Virus

Skin scrapings

Sample to be sent in Viral Transport medium

24 hours

Viral culture for Herpes Simplex virus

Skin scrapings

Sample to be sent in Viral Transport medium

Negative report shall be given after 7 days

Real time PCR for Influenza virus

Throat swabs, Nasal swabs

Sample should be sent in viral transport medium

24 - 48 hours

Sterility check of blood bags

10 days

Sterility check of intravenous fluids/ disinfectants

1 week

Sterility check of bone bank samples

1 week

Active surveillance cultures for specified reasons

1 week