What is the proper way to send a Clostridium difficile specimen?
The Microbiology laboratory has new transport media for C. difficile specimens. The transport for Clostridium difficile is an orange capped transport tube labeled “para-pak C&S”. This container can also be used for culture and for fecal leukocytes. There is a similar tube, with a green cap, labeled “para-pak-ecofix” which is used for ova and parasite testing on stool specimens. The stool sample, for C. difficile, should be collected in the new transport media (orange cap) and filled to the line on the container. Underfilled or overfilled specimens may lead to invalid results. If the C.difficile, specimen is unacceptable, Microbiology will cancel the order. How are sensitivities ordered when sending a culture to Microbiology? Sensitivities are automatically done on appropriate cultures unless the box on the Microbiology requisition (new requisition Dec. 2006) is checked that no sensitivities are required. The wording on the Microbiology requisitions has changed.
