Final answer:
For the culture of anaerobes, aspirates are the preferred method of specimen collection over swabs, as they are more effective in maintaining viability of the bacteria and avoiding contamination.
Step-by-step explanation:
When collecting specimens for the culture of anaerobes, aspirates are preferred over swabs. This is because aspirates are typically more effective in providing a sufficient volume and concentration of bacteria for analysis and are less likely to become contaminated with the normal flora that can complicate the interpretation of the culture results.
Swabs may not maintain the viability or the anaerobic environment needed by these bacteria and often have limited sample material, which can impact the results of the culture. For anaerobic bacteriological culture methods, it is crucial to follow the specific specimen collection guidelines to help ensure a successful isolation and identification of the anaerobic organisms.