ABSTRACT
The process of establishing a laboratory diagnosis of a putative infectious process involves a series of critical steps in order to facilitate a rapid and accurate detection of the etiological agent or agents involved. All of these must be understood and optimized in order to achieve the best outcome for the patient (I). These include pre-analytic steps of specimen selection, collection, transport and, if necessary, storage (2); analysis of the specimen in the laboratory; and post-analytic steps of reporting and interpretation, and timely delivery of the report to the physician for possible therapeutic intervention. From the laboratory perspective, the quality of microbiological specimens is perhaps the single most crucial factor influencing the value of results obtained, and consequently the pre-analytical stage is perhaps the most critical step. Most microbiological specimens are highly perishable, and poorly collected and transported samples may not only result in failure to recover important pathogens, but may also misdirect therapy towards a contaminating commensal organism with potential adverse effects.
