Specimen Requirements

Container/Tube Type: 

Sterile Container

Collection Information: 

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Body Fluid or Spinal Fluid 
0.5 mL of body fluid or spinal fluid. Do not centrifuge spinal fluid specimens. Send specimen refrigerated in a screw-capped, sterile vial. Maintain sterility and forward promptly. Specimens grossly contaminated with blood may inhibit the PCR and produce false-negative results. The high sensitivity of amplification by PCR requires the specimen to be processed in an environment in which contamination of the specimen by HSV DNA is not likely. 

Dermal/Ocular Specimens 
Collect lesion and dermal specimens using a Universal Viral Transport collection system (includes ocular specimens). (Calcium alginate-tipped swab, wood swab, or transport swab containing gel is not acceptable for PCR testing.) If a viral transport collections system is not available, and an Eswab may be used. Send specimen refrigerated. Maintain sterility and forward promptly. 

Genital Specimens 
Collect a specimen of the cervix, rectum, urethra, vagina, or other genital sites using a Universal Viral Transport collection kit. (Calcium alginate-tipped swab, wood swab, or transport swab containing gel is not acceptable for PCR testing.) If a viral culture transport system is not available, and Eswab is acceptable. Send specimen refrigerated. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.

Neonatal Pooled Specimen
Collect using the universal viral transport swab. When obtaining surface specimens, swab the following sites in the following order using 1 swab: conjunctivae, nasopharynx, mouth, and anus. Note: If there is a clinical concern regarding a site (i.e., drainage), a separate swab should be used. All swabs should be placed in the same viral medium.

Respiratory Specimens 
1.5 mL of bronchial washing, bronchoalveolar lavage, naso-pharyngeal aspirate or washing, sputum, or tracheal aspirate. Send specimen refrigerated in a screw-capped, sterile container. Maintain sterility and forward promptly. 

Throat Swabs 
Swab the area using a Universal Viral transport swab. (Calcium alginate-tipped swab, wood swab, or transport swab containing gel is not acceptable for PCR testing.) Place the swab back into the transport media, and break the shaft at the scored area. Send specimen refrigerated. Maintain sterility and forward promptly.  

Tissue (Brain, Colon, Kidney, Liver, Lung, Etc.) 
Send tissue refrigerated in a screw-capped, sterile container containing 1 mL to 2 mL sterile saline or Universal Viral Transport Media (VTM).  (Tissues are resulted with a disclaimer.)  Maintain sterility and forward promptly.