Preferred: aspirates, biopsies, corneal scrape, fluids, tissue, secretions OR skin and subungual nail scrape.
Acceptable: e-swab ​(various sources)
Unacceptable: Blood, Urine and Stool 

For corneal scraping collection:
1. Obtain eye culture medium from Microbiology Laboratory.
2. Use a sterile spatula to scrape the ulcer or lesion.
3. Spread the scrapings on the surface of agar medium. Do not puncture the agar.
4. Prepare and label a glass slide with the patient’s name.
5. With a diamond or marker pen, mark roughly 1 cm circle in the centre of the slide, on the same surface as the patient label.
6. Use a sterile spatula to scrape the ulcer or lesion.
7. Inoculate the specimen in a gentle circular motion within the marked circle.
8. Place into a slide case for transport to the laboratory.

9. Label the slide case with EPIC label.
10. Send specimen to the laboratory immediately.

For skin and nail scrapings collection:
1. Use a scalpel with a shaving motion to scrape the area of broken skin or the underside of the nail, and collect the falling skin with a clean sheet of paper.
2. Place specimen into a sterile screw capped container.
3. Send specimen to the laboratory immediately.

For Wounds and Lesions:
1. Collect 1 swab in e-swab

2. ​Send specimen to the laboratory immediately

For Fluid and Tissues:
1. Collect Specimen into a sterile screw capped container

2. Send speciment to the laboratory immediately

For other collections:
1. Collect specimen into a sterile screw capped container.
2. Send specimen to the laboratory immediately.