Pus
Sampling protocol
- Preferably before administration of antibiotic therapy
- The ideal specimen is an aspirate from a previously undrained abscess or a tissue biopsy
- Swabs are less desirable because of the smaller amount of sample specimen and the fact that they are often contaminated with normal skin flora, making interpretation of results difficult
- When using swabs, the deepest part of the wound should be sampled, avoiding the superficial microflora
- Swabs should be well soaked in pus
- Do not collect pus from dressing materials
- Wash your hands carefully and put on gloves
- Decontaminate the skin starting at the collection point, moving in a spiral outward
- Collect purulent material aseptically from an undrained abscess using a sterile needle and syringe
- Ideally, a minimum volume of 1mL (up to 5-10 mL) of pus should be collected
- Expel air from the syringe, remove the needle and cap the syringe with an appropriate syringe-capping device
- Alternately, transfer the aspirated material into a sterile container
- Transport the specimen to the laboratory immediately
- Sterile gloves
- Antiseptic (according to local recommandations)
- Sterile needle and syringe
- Sterile container or swab transport system with appropriate transport medium
- Rapid transport to the laboratory is the best way to minimise uncertainty of results
- The volume of specimen influences the viability of anaerobes: collect as much pus as possible