Specimen Requirements:
3 mL Fluid / 1g Tissue in the appropriate VCM (green-cap) tube based on Site/Source
Collection Instructions:
Source Must be listed and only one of these: Nasal/nasopharyngeal swab, endocervical swab, eye swab or lesion (vesicle) aspirate swab, urethral swab, vaginal swab, rectal mucosa swab (without feces) or throat swab collected
Based on source please utilize correct VCM Kit
To maintain optimum viability, place swab into VCM (equal volumes of fluid and VCM) or equivalent and transport the specimen to the laboratory as soon as possible.
Minimum Volume:
1 mL Fluid or 1g Tissue
Transport & Storage: Temperature/Stability:
Ambient Unacceptable
Refrigerated 4 days
Frozen -20 unacceptable
Frozen -70 30 days
Best recovery is obtained when the specimens are refrigerated at 2-8°C or kept on wet ice following collection and while in transit. If there will be a long delay before processing, specimens in VCM or equivalent should be frozen at -70°C or colder and transported on dry ice. Storage or transport at - 20°C is not acceptable. Raw (unpreserved) samples should only be refrigerated and not frozen.
Rejection Criteria:
CSF • Sputum • Raw (unpreserved) stool • Dry swabs • Molecular transport systems • Bacterial transport systems • Tissue or biopsies in formalin or other fixatives • Calcium alginate swabs • Wooden shaft swabs • Non gel-based bacterial transports
Reference Range:
Not Isolated
Methodology:
Centrifuge Enhanced Culture • Histochemical Stain
Clinical Significance:
A clinical diagnosis of HSV infection is based on identifying characteristic multiple vescicles on an erythematous base. HSV culture is useful in verifying HSV is present within the vesicles. Rapid culture allows for the initiation of therapy that may diminish the severity of symptoms and shorten the length of symptoms
Custom Panel:
No
PRODUCTION SCHEDULE
Turn Around Time:
1 to 2 days
Days Performed:
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Sites Performed:
Quest - Chantilly
PHL Test Code:
HRVC
EPIC Test Code:
LAB2812
Send Out Test Code:
841
Alternate Test Names:
Herpes Simplex Virus Culture, Rapid Method
CPT Coding:
87255