CULTURE COLLECTION SET AND METHOD FOR TAKING A CULTURE SAMPLE

摘要

A culture-collecting kit comprises a sterile film package (12) with two compartments divided by a rupturable seal (26). The first compartment (34) contains a growth medium (40A). The second compartment (36) contains a swab (42) having a collecting head (46) at the end of a stick (44) formed with a weakening (48). The compartment (36) has two pairs of transversely aligned notches (38-38; 40-40) and an end sealed by a peelable seal (20). In use, the seal (20) is unpeeled, the swap (42) is removed and a culture sample is taken. The package (12) is torn across the notches (38-38) and the swab (42) is re-inserted into the rest of the package so that the head (46) penetrates through the seal (26) into the growth medium (40A). The handled, contaminated stick portion is broken off at the weakening (48) and the package (12) is resealed by an identification label (58). The package (12) is now ready for transfer to a laboratory. There, the package (12) is opened by tearing it at the notches (40-40). The labelled portion of the package (12) can be used as a handle for gripping the stick (44) and the rest of the package is discarded to expose the head (46) for testing. IMAGE