Submit one of the following: Nasal, throat, oral, nasopharyngeal washes, sinus flush, bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial wash, sputum, induced sputum, endotracheal aspirate OR protected specimen brush.

For upper respiratory sites collection:
1. Use the one swab for both sides of the nose.

For throat/oral collection:
1. Carefully swab the site only. Avoid touching the surrounding area.

For bronchoalveolar lavage collection:
1. Please indicate if extended incubation is required when slow-growing bacteria such as Nocardia or Actinomyces are suspected.
2. Collect specimen into a sterile screw capped container.

For expectorated sputum collection:
1. Collect specimen into a sterile screw capped container, under direct supervision of nurse or physician.
2. Have patient rinse mouth with water.
3. Instruct patient to take a very deep breath to fill the lungs, and empty them in one breath, coughing as hard as possible to produce lower respiratory specimen (not saliva or postnasal fluid).

For induced sputum collection:
1. Have patient rinse mouth with water after brushing gums and tongue.
2. Using a nebuliser, have patient inhale ~25 mL of 3-10% sterile saline.
3. Collect induced sputum into sterile screw capped container.

Note: Culture will be rejected if sputum specimen is of poor quality.

Send specimen to the laboratory immediately.