Diphtheria culture – Skin lesions
Consistent with O. Reg. 671/92 of the French Language Services Act, laboratory testing information on this page is only available in English because it is scientific or technical in nature and is for use only by qualified health care providers and not by members of the public.
Specimen Requirements
| Test Requested | Required Requisition(s) | Specimen Type | Minimum Volume | Collection Kit |
Diphtheria culture |
Aspirate, Swab or membranous material |
Amies Charcoal Transport Media; Kit Order #300229 |
Submission and Collection Notes
Material should be taken from the affected area of the skin, either by aspirate or swab. Membranous material may also be cultured.
Remove any crusted material and swab the base of the lesion(s).
Indicate symptoms and date of onset on the General Test Requisition Form.
Storage and Transport
Label the specimen container with the patient’s full name, date of collection and one other unique identifier such as the patient’s date of birth or Health Card Number. Failure to provide this information may result in rejection or testing delay.
Special Instructions
Specimens should be sent to the laboratory as soon as possible, however swabs are acceptable within 3 days of collection.
Specimens should be stored at 2-8°C following collection and shipped to PHO laboratory on ice packs.
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