After material has been taken for culture, three steps should be followed. First, the specimen must be taken to the laboratory as soon as possible, since many organisms die on prolonged exposure to air or drying. This is especially true for swab preparations. Swab kits are available that contain a carrier medium into which the specimen is placed. This is a great help in preserving most bacteria, but the medium is not ideal for all organisms. For example, gonococci or anaerobes must have special transport systems. Anaerobic specimens require special precautions when the specimen is obtained and during transport to the laboratory. Second, the source of the culture should be written on the request sheet. This tells the laboratory what normal flora organisms are to be expected and provides some information on the pathogens that should be looked for and thus what media should be used. Finally, if a specific organism is suspected, this information should also be written on the request, so that if special culture methods are required, the requisite techniques will be anticipated and used.