Specimen or Isolate Submission to the State Public Health Laboratory

Download/print Specimen Submission Guidance Return to Reportable Diseases

Which specimens should be submitted?

Bordetella pertussis and non-pertussis Bordetella spp.	Submit all isolates.
Candida auris	Submit first isolate/specimen from any source. Submit upon first identification of colonization and first identification of clinical infection. Submit additional isolates once every 30 days; additional susceptibility testing for clinical management may be requested. See Candida spp. for C. auris isolated from blood.
Candida spp.	Blood isolates only. Submit all C. glabrata and C. auris isolates. For other species, submit isolate upon identification of new species and every 30 calendar days for each species identified.
CRAB	See detailed guidance for multidrug resistant organisms.
CRE	See detailed guidance for multidrug resistant organisms.
Cronobacter in infants (<1 year)	Submit all isolates.
CRPA	See detailed guidance for multidrug resistant organisms.
Corynebacterium diphtheria	Submit all isolates.
Escherichia coli O157	Submit first isolate per specimen source. If tested by non-culture methods, send isolate if available from reflex culture; send stool/broth specimen if no isolate available.
Escherichia coli, invasive	Cases <1 year of age or upon request from DPH; from sterile sites.¹ Submit one isolate per specimen source per collection date.
Group A Streptococcus, invasive	From sterile sites.¹ Submit one isolate per specimen source per collection date.
Group B Streptococcus, invasive	Cases <1 year of age only; from sterile sites.¹ Submit one isolate per specimen source per collection date.
Human papilloma virus	Upon request from DPH, submit fixed issue from the diagnostic specimen for HPV typing.
Haemophilus influenzae, invasive	From sterile sites.¹ Submit one isolate per specimen source per collection date.
Legionella spp.	Submit all isolates.
Listeria monocytogenes	Submit all isolates.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis related testing	Submit first isolate, unless otherwise specified by DPH.
Neisseria meningitidis, invasive	From sterile sites.¹ Submit one isolate per specimen source per collection date.
Plasmodium spp.	Submit first specimen.
Salmonella spp.	Submit first isolate per specimen source. If tested by non-culture methods, send isolate if available from reflex culture; send stool specimen if no isolate available.
SARS-CoV	Submit all positive specimens.
Shiga toxin	Submit first positive broth or stool specimen.
Shigella spp.	Submit first isolate per specimen source. If tested by non-culture methods, send isolate if available from reflex culture; send stool specimen if no isolate available.
Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin MIC ≥4 μg/mL	Submit one isolate per specimen source per collection date. May require discussion with DPH if multiple positives identified depending upon stability of MIC values at clinical lab.
Staphylococcus epidermidis, vancomycin MIC ≥32 μg/mL	Submit one isolate per specimen source per collection date. May require discussion with DPH if multiple positives identified depending upon stability of MIC values at clinical lab.
Streptococcus pneumoniae	From sterile sites.¹ Submit one isolate per specimen source per collection date.
Vibrio spp.	Submit first isolate per specimen source. If tested by non-culture methods, send isolate if available from reflex culture; send stool specimen if no isolate available.
Yersinia spp., non-pestis	Submit first isolate per specimen source. If tested by non-culture methods, send isolate if available from reflex culture; send stool specimen if no isolate available.

Bioterrorism Agents

Bacillus anthracis Brucella spp. Burkholderia mallei Burkholderia pseudomallei Variola virus Yersinia pestis	Call DPH immediately. Weekdays: (860) 509-7994. Evenings, weekends, holidays: (860) 509-8000. Submit all specimens.
¹ Sterile site: sterile fluids (blood, CSF, pericardial, pleural, peritoneal, joint, or vitreous), bone, internal body site (lymph node, brain, heart, liver, spleen, kidney, pancreas, or ovary), or other normally sterile site, including muscle.

Updated 1/31/2025