13 Specimen Transport & Conservation  Inadequate conservation delay  Inadequate transportation and conservation temperature  Blood sample badly prepared (slow centrifugation, RBC not separated, frozen without separating RBC)  None or inappropriate transport media (Cary-Blair media for meningitis)  Packaging conditions (biosafety regulations, compatibility with further analysis, addressee contact information)  Addressee absent or not reachable  No follow-up of the specimen by the sender