Collection Requirements

Specimen: Stool placed in a stool culture transport vial (Para-Pak® C&S orange)

Volume: Add stool until level in Para-Pak® vial is at fill-line on vial label. Do not over fill.

Container: Para-Pak® C&S Orange (Cary-Blair)

Collection: If possible, allow patient to urinate before collecting stool specimen so as to avoid contaminating the stool specimen with urine. Catch the stool specimen in a clean, empty wide-mouthed container or place plastic wrap over the opening of the toilet bowl to prevent the stool specimen from falling into the bowl. Do not mix urine or water with the stool specimen. For diaper collected specimens, line the diaper with plastic wrap. Do not submit the diaper. Place small amounts of the stool specimen into the orange-labeled Para-Pak® vial using the spoon affixed to the Para-Pak® vial cap, taking care not to let the volume in the vial exceed the RED fill-line indicated on the vial label. Cap the Para-Pak® vial and shake the vial 10 times to ensure complete distribution of the stool into the preservative. The stool specimen must be placed into the Para-Pak® vial within one hour of the stools production for optimum results. Label the Para-Pak® vial with the patient's name, date of birth, date of collection and time of collection. Be sure the Para-Pak® vial cap is securely in place and that the vial is not leaking.

Storage Requirements:

Cause for Rejection: Specimen not received in Cary-Blair preservative medium; specimen vial leaking; specimen >96 hours since collection; frozen specimen; rectal swab; specimen below fill line on container (underfilled); container overfilled above line on label