Specimen Requirements

Nail clippings, hair, or skin enclosed in a clean paper envelope, screw-capped, sterile container, or plastic Petri dish

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Hair
1. Use a Wood’s lamp during collection, if possible (some infected hairs exhibit fluorescence).
2. Pluck hairs which are broken off or appear diseased using sterile forceps.
3. If diseased hair stubs are not apparent, submit edges of scalp lesion as follows:
A. Cleanse scalp lesion with 70% alcohol to reduce bacteria and saprophytic fungi.
B. Scrape from outer periphery or border of lesion or involved area using a sterile scalpel.
4. Place specimen in a screw-capped, sterile container or in a plain, red-top tube.
5. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Nail
1. Scrape out friable material beneath edge of nail or scrape or clip off portions of abnormal-appearing nail.
2. Place specimen in a screw-capped, sterile container.
3. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing.

Skin
1. Cleanse scalp lesion with 70% alcohol to reduce bacteria and saprophytic fungi.
2. Scrape from outer periphery or border of lesion or involved area.
3. Place scrapings in a screw-capped, sterile container or in a plain, red-top tube.
4. Maintain sterility and forward promptly at ambient temperature only.
Note:  Specimen source is required on request form for processing.