Specimen Collection

Unisex APTIMA swabs

• Endocervical swab collection:
  • Remove excess mucus from cervical os and surrounding mucosa using the cleaning swab (white swab).  Discard this swab.
  • Insert specimen collection swab (blue swab) into the endocervical canal
  • Gently rotate swab clockwise for 10-30 seconds in the endocervical canal
  • Withdraw the swab carefully, avoiding the vaginal mucosa
  • Remove foil cap from specimen transport tube and immeidately place collection swab into the transport tube with solution
  • Break off the swab at the scoreline and recap
• Male urethral swab collection
  • **Patient should not have urinated for at least 1 hour prior to collection**
  • Insert collection swab (blue swab) 2-4cm into the urethra
  • Gently rotate swab clockwise for 2-3 seconds in urethra
  • Withdraw swab carefully 
  • Remove foil cap from specimen tube and immediately place collection swab into the transport tube with solution
  • Break off the swab at the scoreline and recap

Multitest APTIMA swab 

• Vaginal swab specimen collection 
  • Peel open the swab package and remove the swab.  
  • Hold the swab, placing your thumb and forefinger in the middle of the swab shaft covering the score line.  
  • Carefully insert the swab into the vagina about 2 inches, past the introitus and gently rotate for 10-30 seconds.  Make sure the swab touches the walls of the vagina so that the moisture is absorbed by the swab.
  • Remove the swab without touching the skin
  • Remove the foil cap from the Multitest tube and immediately place the swab into the transport media.
  • Carefully break the swab shaft at the score line against the side of the tube and discard the top portion of the swab
  • Replace the foil cap and transport to the laboratory

Urine Specimens

• Urine collection instructions
  • **The patient should not have urinated for at least 1 hour prior to collection**
  • Instruct the patient to provide 20-30ml of first-catch urine into a sterile, urine collection cup.
  • Transport to the laboratory as soon as possible.
  • In the laboratory, transfer approximately 3mls of urine to the APTIMA urine collection transport tube, making sure the total volume is within the indicator lines on the transport tube.
  • Specimen must be transferred within 24 hours of collection

            **Collection of larger volumes of urine may results in target dilution and reduce                             sensitivity**

             **Female patients should not cleanse the labial area prior to providing the                                      specimen**

PreservCyt solution vials (ThinPrep Pap test)

• Please refer to ThinPrep Pap Test collection procedures
  • After transport of the liquid pap to the laboratory, the laboratory will transfer 1ml of specimen to the APTIMA specimen transfer tube for processing.