A Specimen Collected from a Patient for Culture in the Microbiology

Question

A specimen collected from a patient for culture in the microbiology laboratory
A)should always be refrigerated prior to sending it to the laboratory.
B)should always be shipped in transport medium.
C)should be taken before antibiotic therapy is commenced wherever possible.
D)is rarely infectious after it has been collected.
E)all of the above.

Accepted Answer

Collecting the specimen before antibiotic therapy is commenced is important because antibiotics can affect the growth of microorganisms and may give a false-negative result. It is recommended to collect the specimen prior to the administration of antibiotics wherever possible.