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Collections and Dispatch of Specimens in Toxicological Cases

The document provides recommendations for collecting and submitting samples for toxicological analysis. Key points include collecting a detailed case history and samples of biological fluids like blood, urine, bile, vitreous humor, and cerebrospinal fluid. Samples should be as fresh as possible, preserved appropriately, and packaged securely with identifying labels for shipping to the lab within 72 hours when possible. Specific sample collection and preservation methods are outlined for different biological fluids.

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Farhan Nobel
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334 views9 pages

Collections and Dispatch of Specimens in Toxicological Cases

The document provides recommendations for collecting and submitting samples for toxicological analysis. Key points include collecting a detailed case history and samples of biological fluids like blood, urine, bile, vitreous humor, and cerebrospinal fluid. Samples should be as fresh as possible, preserved appropriately, and packaged securely with identifying labels for shipping to the lab within 72 hours when possible. Specific sample collection and preservation methods are outlined for different biological fluids.

Uploaded by

Farhan Nobel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Collections and dispatch of specimens

in Toxicological cases
Recommendations for sample
collection and submission
✓ A detailed case history, ✓ Gross appearance (including size and
location) of the lesion(s),
✓ Owner,
✓ Previous treatment (if any),
✓ Species,
✓ Time of recurrence from any
✓ Breed,
previous treatment, and
✓ Sex,
✓ Morbidity/mortality in the group.
✓ Age,
• The submission form should be
✓ Animal identification, placed in a waterproof bag.
✓ Clinical signs, • Waterproof markers should be used
when labelling.
Toxicological sampling

• If a known toxin is suspected, a specific analysis should


always be requested.

• A complete description of clinical and epidemiologic


findings.

• Tissues or fluids for chemical analysis should be as fresh as


possible and kept refrigerated.

• In rare instances a chemical preservative is required.


• Samples can be preserved for 72 hr if packed in a
Styrofoam box with dry ice.

• Plastic containers, both bags and jars, are ideal.

• Jars with metal screw caps should be avoided.

• Packed individually & well labelled.

• If feed or water is suspected as the source of


Styrofoam box
poisoning, it should accompany the tissue samples.

• In some instances, suspected feed may be fed to


experimental animals .
Biological Fluids

1. Blood:
• Peripheral blood concentration has been shown to
be more reliable.

• Usually 20 ml of blood is sufficient and it has to be


preserved in sodium fluoride of 10 mg/ml and
potassium oxalate, 30 mg/10 ml of blood
concentration.
Amber glass
• The glass container should be made of amber glass.
• Sodium fluoride protects blood from post-mortem changes
such as bacterial production of ethanol or other alcohols.

• It also helps to protect other labile drugs such as cocaine,


nitrazepam and clonazepam from degradation.

• K2EDTA may also prove useful in cases of suspected fluoride


poisoning.
2. Urine sample:

• Concentrations are generally higher than in blood.

• A number of metabolites may also be present.

• Preserved in sodium fluoride.

• A sample of 20 ml is sufficient for toxicological analysis.

3. Bile:

• Opiates and acetaminophen( paracetamol).

• It is not routinely preserved.


4. Vitreous humour:

• Useful for alcohols, or in diabetes and insulin related deaths.

• Useful where the body has decomposed.

• Biochemical tests such as urea, creatine, glucose, lactose


and alcohol.

• Is preserved with sodium fluoride (10 mg/ml).


5. Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF):

• Rarely required for toxicological


analysis.

• The CSF sample has to be


preserved in sodium fluoride.

6. Other Fluids:
• Like Pericardial and Synovial Fluids
can be used for toxicological analysis
like alcohol.

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