Specimen must arrive within 7 days of collection; specimens older than 7 days will be rejected. The high sensitivity of amplification by PCR requires the specimen to be processed in an environment in which contamination of the specimen by Pneumocystis species DNA is unlikely. Submit only 1 of the following specimens: Preferred Specimen Type: Body fluid Sources: Pleural Container/Tube: Sterile container Specimen Volume: 1 mL 0.5 mL min)
Specimen Type: Respiratory Sources: Bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial washing, tracheal secretions, or sputum Container/Tube: Sterile container Specimen Volume: 1 mL (0.5 mL min)
Specimen Type: Tissue Sources: Respiratory Container/Tube: Sterile container Specimen Volume: 5-10 mm Collection Instructions: 1. Submit fresh tissue. 2. Keep tissue moist with sterile water or sterile saline
Acceptable Specimen Type: NALC/NaOH-digested respiratory specimens Sources: Lavage fluid, bronchial washing, respiratory fluid, sputum, or tracheal secretion Container/Tube: Sterile container Specimen Volume: 2 mL Rejection: Body fluid other than pleural fluid, blood, bone, non-respiratory tissue, bone marrow, organ tissues other than lung, paraffin-embedded tissue Specimen in anaerobe vial or viral transport medium Feces Swab Tissue in formalin fluid Urine Specimen;<7 days old
