Ear Culture & Sensitivity with Gram Stain

External Ear: Use swab to collect fluid from ear canal.

Internal Ear: Collect fluid in trap or on swab. Use sterile funnel if collecting from eardrum or beyond. Order Place Holder for Body Fluid Bacterial Culture and Sensitivity with Gram Stain (includes anaerobes) [FLDPHC]

Swabs: Transport at room temperature, ideally within 4 hours of collection, but not more than 24 hours after collection.

• Preferred transport media: ESwab.
• Acceptable: Amies gel swab.
• Unacceptable: Specimens collected in Universal Transport Medium (UTM); dry swabs; specimens collected with expired swabs/transport media.

Fluid or aspirate: Transport in a sterile leak-proof container at room temperature, ideally within 2 hours of collection, but not more than 24 hours after collection.

Specimens will be rejected if received > 24 hours after collection. Viability of organisms is significantly reduced after 24 hours.

Refrigeration is NOT ideal for bacterial culture as it decreases recovery of Strep. pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae.