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Superficial wound culture, swab (Calgary/South)
Test Name:
Superficial wound culture, swab (Calgary/South)
Organism(s)/Disease(s):
Abscess
Abscess, superficial
Balanitis
Boil
Cellulitis
Erysipelas (Streptococcal infection)
Erysipeloid
Folliculitis
Furunculosis
Impetigo
Pyoderma
Rash
Soft tissue infection
Sores
Surface wound
Ulcer.
Clinical Prerequisite(s):
A superficial wound swab is any culture collected from <2cm within the wound. If collected from =/> 2 cm, refer to Deep wound swab culture (Calgary/South)

Provision of relevant, clinical information is important to ensure a clinically relevant result.
Always provide/record:
•  specimen source
•  current antibiotic therapy, start date, route, and dose
•  clinical history - symptoms and start date
•  travel history
•  any local symptoms/signs of acutely infected wound (e.g. pain, erythema, edema, heat, purulence)
•  presence of chronically infected wounds (e.g. friable granulation tissue, wound breakdown, increasing pain and foul odor)
•  any local predisposing factors (e.g. skin ulcer, traumatic injury, surgical wound site, presence of foreign body, animal bites, burn wounds, frost bite)
•  any systemic symptoms/signs (e.g. fevers, chills, rigors)
•  any underlying conditions which may predispose to more severe infection (e.g. diabetes, steroid, immunosuppressive therapy, malignancy, HIV)
Collection Device/Tube Type:
E-swab collection device
Swab in clear transport media
Specimen Requirement(s):
Skin and soft tissue infections
  Preferred specimen:  Fluid and tissue specimens

  Refer to: Fluid Culture (Calgary/South) and Tissue Culture (Calgary/South)

  1. Collect specimen prior to antimicrobial therapy for greatest diagnostic sensitivity
  2. Collect specimens for culture only from wounds that are:
    • clinically infected
    •  non-healing
    •  chronically draining
    •  not responding to treatment
  3. Collect swabs only if aspirates or tissues cannot be obtained 
Collection Instructions:
Handling and Storage:
Room temperature
Handling/Storage Comments:
Transport to the laboratory as soon as possible after collection
Turnaround Times
See Microbiology Information»
Comments:
Superficial specimens are routinely cultured for aerobic bacteria

Last Reviewed:
06 May 2023