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Eye Wound Culture

Collection and Handling

Microbiology Specimen Collection Procedure

Wound and Tissue Culture Specimens

Eye Specimens

Last Updated: 03/15/2012

 

 

Wound/ Tissue Type

 Transport device Frequency of Culture/ Replica Limits

Eye Specimens

conjunctiva

eSwab

(none)
Collection: 
Sample with swab (premoistened with sterile saline)
   by rolling over conjunctiva

Corneal scrapings

Culture medium

(none)

Collection: 
1. Obtain appropriate media from Micro Lab prior to collection.
2. Obtain conjunctival swab specimens as described above.
3. Instill 2 drops of local anesthetic.
4. Using sterile spatula, scrape ulcers or lesions and inoculate scraping directly onto media.
5. Apply remaining material to 2 clean glass slides for staining.

Corneal donor rim

 Cooked meat broth media 
(may also be submitted in the cornea transport media)

(none)

Collection: 
1. Obtain Cooked meat broth media from Micro Lab prior to collection.
2. Aseptically transfer rim into media

 

 

General Considerations

  1. An order for wound culture normally includes:
    1. An Aerobic Culture
    2. A Gram Stain if adequate specimen is submitted (2 swabs, eswabs or specimen in sterile container)
    3. An Anaerobic Culture if:
      1. a portion of specimen is submitted in an anaerobic transport container: A.C.T. II Dual, eswab or red top tube
      2. the source is appropriate