Skin and soft tissue infections are common clinical problems that vary in type and severity. Breach of the skin from trauma, surgery, or primary skin disease is often a precursor to microbial penetration through the epidermis with a consequent range in progression from a superficial, self-limited infection to a life-threatening infection. If purulence at the site of infection is accessible for culture, procurement of a diagnostic test specimen will often provide clinically relevant, diagnostic information regarding microbial etiology, drug susceptibility, and potentially effective antibiotic therapy.