Rejection Criteria:

Sputum specimens.

Delivery Instructions:

Mix well and place on wet ice.  Keep on ice and deliver to
laboratory immediately.

Testing Schedule:

0700-1630, 7 days a week, including holidays.

Comments:

See specific viral agents for more details.
A.  Biopsy or tissue - immerse in transport media.  Available from
Hospital Stores (MH08379).
B.  Blood or buffy coat culture - collect 10 ml of blood in a
lavender (EDTA) tube.
C.  Bone Marrow - collect in a lavender (EDTA) tube.
D.  CSF - collect 1-5 ml in a sterile container.
E.  Nasopharyngeal wash - inoculate 3 ml of normal sterile saline
into the nasal passage with a bulb syringe while the patients head is
tilted back.  Aspirate 1-2 ml into a sterile container.
F.  Respiratory secretions - collect specimens in a sterile container.
Sterile container for bronchial washings and bronchoalveolar lavage
specimens.  Mucous trap or delee trap for tracheal aspirates and nasal
washings.
G.  Swab - Transport media available from Hospital Stores (923740).
H.  Throat wash - Have patient gargle with 3-5 ml of normal sterile
saline.  Collect wash in a sterile specimen container.
I.  Vesicle - Expose the base of the lesion by lifting the cap of the 
vesicle or ulcer.  Use swab from viral/chlamydia transport kit 
(923740), swab entire base of the lesion firmly to collect cellular 
material (without causing bleeding).  Place swab in viral transport 
media.
J.  Urine - collect 1-10 ml of clean voided midstream morning urine
collected in a sterile container.
K.  Sterile body fluids and tissues.

See Additional Information:
Specimens Requiring Immediate Delivery