ACCEPTABLE SPECIMENS: Amniotic fluid, endometrium (tissue), culdesac fluid, tubal or fimbrial aspirates, seminal or prostatic fluid, urethral swabs, joint fluid, vaginal swab, mediastinal tissue or fluid.

Causes for Rejection:
1. Specimen not labeled with patient's name, MRN, date and time of collection, and collector's initials.

Collect specimen as follows:
BODY FLUID:
1. Decontaminate skin with povidone iodine.
2. Using sterile technique aspirate body fluid with needle and syringe.
FOR AMNIOTIC FLUID, COLLECT SPECIMEN BY TRANSABDOMINAL NEEDLE ASPIRATION.
3. Submit at least 1 mL of body fluid or amniotic fluid in a screw-capped, sterile tube.

TISSUE:
1. Aseptically obtain 5-10 cubic mm piece of tissue. Avoid collecting tissue contaminated with flora from adjacent mucosal membranes.
2. Do not allow tissue to dry out.
3. Submit in an Anaerobe Systems Transport Tube (AS Tube) or screw-capped, sterile specimen cup (if tissue is too large for AS Tube).

URETHRA or ENDOCERVIX:
1. Insert a swab 2 - 3 cm into the male urethra or into the endocervix.
2. Rotate swab and withdraw.
3. Return swab to CultureSwab Transport tube.
4. Submit swab in CultureSwab Transport tube.

Notes:
1. CULTURE SITE IS REQUIRED ON REQUEST FORM FOR PROCESSING.
2. Contamination of specimen with adjacent mucous membrane flora at time of collection may result in bacterial overgrowth of the culture making recovery of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma impossible.
3. Communication with Clinical Microbiology is necessary before submitting urogenital specimens.
4. Amniotic fluid is the specimen of choice for diagnosis of chorioamnionitis. Swabs of the placenta are not interpretable.
5. Culture design does not allow recover of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
6. Mycoplasma and bacterial cultures may be ordered on a single specimen if volume is sufficient.

DELIVER IMMEDIATELY TO MICROBIOLOGY IN A TIGHTLY SEALED CONTAINER WITH NO EXTERNAL SPILLAGE.

Causes for Rejection:
1. Specimen delayed in transit.
2. Specimen container leaking.

Used to detect Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma in clinical specimens.

Mycoplasma hominis has been associated with post partum fever and may act as an opportunist in sites outside the genitourinary tract.  It has been associated with wound (especially sternal wounds), joint, and central nervous system infections.

Ureaplasma urealyticum causes some cases of nongonococcal urethritis and has been associated with chorioamnionitis and low birth weight.  It has been associated with joint infections in immunodeficient patients and central nervous system infections in neonates.

Contamination of specimen with adjacent mucous membrane flora at time of collection may result in bacterial overgrowth of the culture making recovery of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma impossible. Swabs of the placenta are not interpretable.

Culture design does not allow recovery of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Culture using selective broth and solid media designed to recover Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum.

Includes identification of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum.