As of the week of March 16th, 2020, certain viral PCR testing will be mailed to commercial laboratories for equivalent testing due to a critical shortage of materials for DNA and RNA extraction. Expect delays of at least 1 day over usual in-house turnaround times. Reversion to in-house testing is not likely for at least two months and will be announced with a broadcast.

These PCR tests are as follows, for all sources orderable in Epic (exceptions noted):

HSV (except for HSV testing on the meningitis/encephalitis CSF panel)
VZV (except for VZV testing on the meningitis/encephalitis CSF panel)
CMV (except for CMV from neonatal oral swabs, and from amniotic fluid)
BK virus
EBV

Questions concerning this broadcast can be directed to Bradley Ford, MD, PhD, Medical Director of Microbiology; (ext. 6-2990, bradley-ford@uiowa.edu; *8290).