The surface of all necropsy tissues should be assumed to be contaminated.

• Assemble appropriate bacterial/fungal transport medium/media, sterile scalpel blade(s), sterile swab(s)
• Check expiration date on transport media
• Light torch/burner
• Heat spatula tip in flame until it glows cherry red
• Apply heated tip flat against tissue to sear the surface and remove contaminants
• Make a stab into the tissue, using a sterile scalpel blade
• Insert sterile swab into stab incision and rotate swab to assure complete contact with tissue and accumulation of fluid from tissue
• Withdraw swab and insert directly into selected transport medium
• If necessary, break off swab shaft, and cap transport system
• Label transport vial with animal name/number, owner name, date, and site swabbed
• For additional culture sites, repeat, using new sterile scalpel blades and sterile swabs for each site/tissue.
• Hold swab appropriately until transported to lab
  • Anaerobic transport media – Hold and ship at room temperature (20-25º C); Protect from temperature extremes, using insulation
  • Amies with and without charcoal – Hold and ship at refrigeration temperature; use cold packs

VSS-WEB-003-V01 9/23