Specimen Transport

Microbiology Cultures

To ensure continued safety of your staff and ours, all microbiology cultures sent to Mayo Medical Laboratories for diagnostic testing must be sent in:

  • Appropriate packaging and clearly identified with a round blue label with the letter 'C' on it (culture).
    Refer to the Microbiology Culture Test List for test numbers.
  • A Mayo Medical Laboratories-supplied secondary container.

Shipping Process:

  1. Place culture in a secondary container.
  2. Place the secondary container in bio-hazard bag and place "C" label on outside of specimen bag.
  3. Place bag in Styrofoam container and place "C" label on top of Styrofoam container.*
  4. Place Styrofoam container in shipping box and place "C" label on outside of shipping box.*

    * If a scheduled courier picks up specimens at your facility, they will perform steps 3 and 4.

Supplies

Reorder supplies per your usual process. The order numbers for secondary containers and labels are as follows:

  • Wide-mouth container  T-429
  • Large container  T-146
  • Biohazard bag  T-043
  • Blue "C" label   T-549 

Important:
Send specimens following Infectious Substance requirements if it appears on the list of infectious Category A substances. Refer to the shipping information for Infectious and Diagnostic Specimens.