ENTEROVIRUS PCR

Variable specimen types

Specimen source required.
Swab specimens (NP/throat, oral, dermal, ocular, esophagus) in viral transport medium.
Swabs in Culturettes must be transferred to viral transport within 24 hours of collection.
Biopsy/tissue specimens in saline or viral transport medium (Snap frozen -20°C).
Bronchoalveolar lavage/wash in sterile screw capped plastic container 1.0 mL (0.5 mL minimum). CSF and body fluids undiluted in sterile screw capped plastic container. 1.0 mL (0.5 mL minimum).
Nasal Aspirates in vacuum trap. 1.0 mL (0.5 mL minimum).
Nasal washes in screw capped plastic container. 1.0 mL (0.5 mL minimum).
Urine undiluted in sterile screw capped plastic container. 2.0 mL (1.0 mL minimum).
Stool in sterile screw capped plastic container 2.0 mL (1.0 mL minimum) for liquid stool or marble-size solid stool.
Bone Marrow in EDTA, 1.0 mL (0.5 mL minimum).
Whole blood in EDTA, 2.0 mL (1.0 mL minimum).
Plasma, EDTA, 1.0 mL (0.5 mL minimum).

Stool specimens in Cary Blair medium.
The Laboratory Director or Supervisor must approve testing of specimens other than those listed.

Determined by specimen types

Varies by specimen type, see stability

Rectal swabs or stool preserved in formalin, SAF, or PVA
Stool specimens received in diapers, tissue paper, tongue depressors, sticks, and other objects containing stool
Urine in Grey-Top (boric acid) urine vacutainers
Specimens in Amplicor, EIA, Gen-Probe, or ProbeTec transport media
Specimens in bacteriological blood culture media
Dry swabs, calcium alginate swabs, and swabs in gel transports
Culturette specimens older than 24 hours
Specimens received in non-sterile or leaking containers
Serum

Room temperature: 3 days
Refrigerated: 14 days
Frozen (-20°C): 14 days
Frozen (-70°C): 3 months