Collection and transport of virology specimens
| Specimen required | Container | Virus/organism |
|---|---|---|
| BAL, broncho-alveolar lavage; CMV, cytomegalovirus; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; ELISA, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; HAV/HBV/HCV, hepatitis A/B/C virus; HbeAg, hepatitis B antigen; HHV, human herpesvirus; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; HSV, herpes simplex virus; HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; SRSV, small round spherical virus; VSV, varicella zoster virus; VTM, virus transport medium. | ||
| Specimens for isolation | ||
| Swabs | VTM | HSV, VZV, adenovirus, others |
| Faeces | Sterile leak proof container | Enteroviruses |
| Biopsy | Sterile phosphate buffered saline | Many |
| Blood | Preservative free heparin or EDTA | CMV |
| Urine | Sterile leak proof container | CMV |
| Chlamydial swabs: cervical/urethral/eye | Chlamydial transport medium and not VTM | Chlamydia trachomatis |
| Nasal washing, tracheal aspirate, respiratory specimens/BAL | Sterile leak proof container | Respiratory viruses |
| CSF | Sterile leak proof container | Mumps, enterovirus, HSV-1, HSV-2 |
| Antigen detection | ||
| Nasopharyngeal aspirates | Sterile leak proof container | Respiratory viruses, RSV |
| Conjunctival/cervical/urethral scrape | Chlamydial ELISA transport medium | Chlamydia trachomatis |
| Swab from base of lesion | VTM | VZV, HSV |
| Faeces | Sterile leak proof container | Rotavirus, adenovirus 40/41 |
| Serum/plasma | Plain tube clotted blood | HBsAg, HBeAg, HIV p24Ag |
| Antibody detection | ||
| Clotted blood for serum | Plain tube (white top); 5–10 ml | HAV, HBV, HCV, HIV etc. |
| Electron microscopy | ||
| Vesicular lesion scrape | Two glass slides | HSV/VZV, poxviruses |
| Core of lesion | Sterile leak proof container | Poxviruses (molluscum) |
| Faeces | Sterile leak proof container | Rotavirus; adenovirus, astrovirus, calicivirus, Norwalk-like viruses |
| Nucleic acid detection | ||
| CSF | Sterile leak proof container | HSV, VZV, HHV-6, enteroviruses, JC |
| Peripheral blood | Preservative free heparin or EDTA | HCV, HIV RNA, HBV DNA, CMV, parvovirus, toxoplasma DNA |
| Cervical/urethral conjunctival cells | Transport medium appropriate for test | Papillomavirus, chlamydia |
| Urine | Sterile leak proof container | Chlamydia trachomatis |
| Faeces | Sterile leak proof container | SRSV |