SURVIVAL OF ANAEROBES IN ORIGINAL SPECIMENS TRANSPORTED BY OVERNIGHT MAIL SERVICES

Overnight mail delivery was evaluated for its effect on the recovery o f facultative and anaerobic microbes in cultures of clinical specimens from patients. Ten clinical specimens, which were collected at differ ent geographic locations and during different weather conditions, were cultured at the site and after overnight delivery to a distant labora tory, Forty-five facultative anaerobic isolates and 48 anaerobes were recovered. There was no significant difference in numbers of strains o r relative quantities recovered in cultures of transported and nontran sported specimens. With proper collection, transport, and inoculation of specimens, overnight delivery did not compromise recovery of clinic ally relevant microbes.