HANDLING AND STORAGE OF BIOLOGICAL SPECIMEN

BLOOD

Handling

All blood specimen

• Prevent haemolysis
• Collect specimen in a tube at room temperature

Serum

• Separate serum from blood within 30-45 min after collection

Plasma

• Mix anticoagulant gently but thoroughly with blood specimen immediately after collection

Storage

For blood specimen:

• Refrigerate at 4°C to retard alterations in physical and chemical composition of specimen

Plasma and serum

• These can be frozen but whole blood should not be frozen as it may cause Haemolysis

URINE

Handling

Avoid contamination of inside of specimen contamination

Storage

If urine cannot be tested within one hour after collection, refrigerate it or add an appropriate preservative

MICROBIOLOGICAL SPECIMEN

Handling

• Avoid contamination of swab used to collect specimen
• Avoid contamination of inside of the specimen container.
• Protect yourself from contamination from biological specimen
• Protect anaerobic specimen from exposure to air.

Storage

• Transport the specimen as soon as possible.
• If not possible, place the specimen in a transport medium or inoculate in suitable culture media.
• For most specimen: Place in refrigerator at 4°C to prevent drying, death or overgrowth of specimen with extraneous microorganisms.

STOOL

Handling

• Collect the specimen in a clean container.
• For detection of ova and parasites, keep the specimen warm

Storage

• For most accurate results, deliver specimen to the laboratory immediately
• For a delayed transportation, mix with appropriate preservative or place in a transport medium.