Ear Culture & Sensitivity with Gram Stain

External Ear: Use swab to obtain sample from ear canal.

Internal Ear fluid: Collect fluid in trap or with syringe. Use sterile funnel if collecting from a ruptured eardrum. 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.