Varicella Zoster

Last Modified: 2/20/2023 1:31:04 PM


Medical Necessity Documentation:  
Client Notes:  
Patient Preparation:  
Specimen Requirements:  Cutaneous (skin, penis, labia) or Mucrocutaneous (oral, ocular, urethral, nasal, vaginal, cervical, rectal) lesions in M4RT Vial (Red Cap Vial)
Collection Instructions: Specimen must be collected from Cutaneous (skin, penis, labia) or Mucrocutaneous (oral, ocular, urethral, nasal, vaginal, cervical, rectal) lesions from symptomatic patients and immediately placed in Remel Viral Transport Media - Room Temp (M4RT-red cap).

Collection site and/or source must be given on the order.

Endocervical:
1. Remove excess mucous from cervial os and surrounding mucosa with large tipped swab.
2. Insert specimen collection swab into endocervical canal.
3. Gently rotate swab for 10-30 seconds to ensure adequate sampling.
4. Withdraw swab carefully to avoid vaginal mucosa.
5. Remove cap from transport vial and place swab into vial.
6. Snap off swab shaft, re-cap transport vial.

Urethral:
1. The patient should not have urinated for at least 1 hour prior to collection.
2. Insert collection swab 2-4 cm into urethra.
3. Gently rotate swab for 2-3 seconds to ensure adequate sampling.
4. Withdraw swab carefully.
5. Remove cap from transport vial and place swab into vial.
6. Snap off swab shaft, re-cap transport vial.
Transport & Storage: Temperature/Stability:  
Rejection Criteria: CSF, tissue, screening specimens in the absence of lesions/symptoms, Cepheid Xpert Nasopharyngeal Swab in UTM (these are only approved for respiratory viruses), no Cepheid CT/NG transport media
Reference Range: No VZV DNA detected.
Critical Ranges:  
Test Comments:  
Methodology: Helicase-Dependant DNA Amplification
Clinical Significance:  
Documentation:  
Custom Panel: No

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

Turn Around Time: 1 to 3 days
Days Performed: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Sites Performed: Parkview Regional Medical Center
PHL Test Code: VZV
EPIC Test Code: LAB3216
Alternate Test Names: VZ; VZV
Included Tests:  
CPT Coding: 87798

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