Test Procedure - BD ESwab Manual Del Usario

TEST PROCEDURE

Plating BD ESwab Specimen Cultures in the Laboratory
BD ESwab specimens should be processed for bacteriological culture using recommended culture media and laboratory
techniques which will depend on the specimen type and the organism under investigation. For recommended culture media
and techniques for the isolation and identification of bacteria from clinical swab specimens refer to published microbiology
manuals and guidelines.
Culture investigations of swab specimens for the presence of aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria and fastidious bacteria
such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae routinely involve the use of solid agar culture medium in Petri dish plates. The procedure for
inoculation of BD ESwab samples onto solid agar in Petri dishes is as follows.
1. Vigorously shake the BD ESwab tube containing the swab sample between the thumb and forefinger for 5 s or mix the
tube using a vortex mixer for 5 s to release the sample from the swab tip and evenly disperse and suspend the patient
specimen in the liquid transport medium.
2. Unscrew the BD ESwab cap to remove the swab applicator.
3. Roll the tip of the BD ESwab applicator onto the surface of one quadrant of the culture media plate to provide the
primary inoculum.
4. If it is necessary to culture the swab specimen onto additional culture media plates, return the BD ESwab applicator
to the transport medium tube for two seconds to absorb and recharge the applicator tip with transport medium/patient
sample suspension then repeat Step No. 3.
The procedure described above utilizes the BD ESwab applicator like an inoculation wand to transfer the suspension of
patient sample in transport medium onto the surface of a culture plate creating the primary inoculum (see Fig 5). Alternatively,
the operator can vortex or mix the BD ESwab tube with the swab inside for 5 s and then transfer 100 µL volumes of the
suspension onto each culture plate using a volumetric pipetor and sterile pipet tips. Standard laboratory techniques should
then be used to streak the primary inoculum of patient sample across the surface of the culture plate (see Fig 6).
Fig 5. Procedures for inoculation of BD ESwab specimens onto solid agar in Petri dishes
1. Using swab to inoculate specimen
Fig 6. Procedure for streaking BD ESwab specimens on agar Petri dishes for primary isolation
Preparation of Gram Stain Smears of BD ESwab Specimens
Laboratory analysis of clinical swab samples collected from certain sites on the patient can routinely include microscopic
examination of stained preparations ("direct smears") using the Gram stain procedure. This can provide valuable information
to physicians who are managing patients with infectious diseases.
assist in making a diagnosis; for example, with swabs taken from the endocervix or male urethra to investigate suspected
Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections or vaginal swabs to diagnose bacterial vaginosis.
judge specimen quality and contribute to the selection of culture media especially with mixed flora.
Microscope slides of patient specimens transported in BD ESwab transport system can be prepared for Gram stain analysis,
as describe below, by sampling an aliquot of vortexed suspension of the swab.
1. Take a clean glass microscope slide, place it on a flat surface and inscribe an area using a diamond-tipped or similar
glass marker to identify the location of the specimen inoculum.
2. Vortex or mix the BD ESwab tube containing the swab sample for 5 s to release the sample from the swab tip and evenly
disperse and suspend the patient specimen in the Liquid Amies transport medium.
3. Unscrew the BD ESwab cap and using a sterile pipet, transfer 1–2 drops of Liquid Amies medium to the inscribed area
on the glass slide.
4. Allow the specimen on the slide to air dry or place the slide in a 60 °C electric slide warmer.
14,17,20-22
2. Using pipetor and sterile pipet
Seed a primary inoculum of BD ESwab specimen onto the surface of an appropriate culture
media following recommended microbiology procedures.
Use a sterile bacteriology loop to streak the primary inoculum across the surface to isolate
organisms on the culture media.
tips to inoculate 100 µL of specimen
24 There are many instances in which a Gram stain can
4
23
25-30 The Gram stain can also help to
31
17,31