Aid in the diagnosis of viral diseases (eg, conjunctivitis, congenital viral infections, keratitis, chickenpox, shingles, viral pneumonia, and diseases characterized by skin vesicles and rashes) Submit one specimen per test requested. Specify the exact specimen source/origin (eg, genital lesion). Relevant vaccinations, and pertinent clinical history are helpful. Whenever a viral etiology is suspected and whenever appropriate, acute and convalescent serum should be collected for viral serology tests.

Molecular (PCR) tests have replaced viral culture for most indications.  Viral culture is an option for specimen types or viral subtypes that cannot be tested by PCR and for sensitivity testing in patients with resistant infections.

Viruses that are detected in cell culture: adenovirus, CMV, enterovirus, HSV, VZV, RSV, influenza virus, and parainfluenza virus.

Viral culture will not detect:  Coxsackie A viruses, hepatitis viruses, arboviruses, parvoviruses, human papillomaviruses, reoviruses, measles virus, and gastrointestinal viruses (rota, corona, calici, astro, and Norwalk).

Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap)

• Open the vesicle and absorb exudate into a dry swab, and/or vigorously scrape base of freshly exposed lesion with a swab to obtain cells which contain viruses.
• If enough vesicle fluid is available, aspirate the fluid with a fine gauge needle and tuberculin syringe, and place the fluid into cold Universal Transport Media (UTM-RT).

Refrigerate immediately

Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap)

Whenever a viral etiology is suspected and whenever appropriate, acute and convalescent serum should be collected for viral serology tests.

Specimen should be collected during the acute phase of the disease, as follows:

Blood:
Collect 5 mL whole blood into a heparinized tube; sodium heparin preferred. Send collection tube at room temperature.

Cerebrospinal fluid:
Collect 1 mL CSF aseptically in a sterile dry screw-capped vial. Refrigerate immediately.

Eye swab or scraping:
Use a viral swab to collect conjunctival material. Take conjunctival scrapings with a fine sterile spatula and transfer the scraping to a universal transport medium (UTM-RT). Refrigerate immediately.

Feces:
Collect 4-8 g of feces (about the size of a thumbnail), and place in a clean, screw-capped container. Do not dilute the specimen or use preservatives. Viral swab in Universal Transport Media (UTM-RT) is acceptable. Refrigerate immediately.

Genital swab:
See skin. Refrigerate immediately.

Rectal swab:
Insert a sterile swab 2 - 4" into the rectum and rub the mucosa. Swab may be placed into cold Universal Transport Media (UTM-RT). Refrigerate immediately.

Throat swab:
Carefully rub the posterior wall of the nasopharynx with a dry, sterile swab. Avoid touching the tongue or buccal mucosa. Place swab in Universal Transport Media (UTM-RT).

Tissue:
Use a fresh set of sterile instruments to collect each tissue. Place each specimen in its own dry, sterile nontoxic screw-capped container. To prevent the tissue from drying out, add a small amount of viral transport medium to the container. Identify each tissue with the patient's name, type of tissue, and date collected. Refrigerate immediately.

Urine:
Collect clean-catch, midstream urine in a screw-capped, sterile, plastic container. Refrigerate immediately.

Blood:
Do not spin

Cerebrospinal fluid:
Do not spin; Refrigerate immediately.

Eye swab or scraping:
Refrigerate immediately

Feces:
Refrigerate immediately

Genital swab:
Refrigerate immediately

Rectal swab:
Refrigerate immediately

Throat swab:

Tissue:
Refrigerate immediately

Urine:
Refrigerate immediately

Blood:
Submit in the collection container

Cerebrospinal fluid:
Sterile dry screw-capped vial..

Eye swab or scraping:
Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap)

Feces:
Clean, screw-capped container. or viral swab in Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap)

Genital swab:
Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap)

Rectal swab:
Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap)

Throat:

Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap)

Tissue:
Sterile nontoxic screw-capped container.

Urine:
Screw-capped, sterile, plastic container.

• Specify the exact specimen source/origin (eg, genital lesion).
• Relevant vaccinations, and pertinent clinical history are helpful.

Blood:

Ambient

All other specmen types:

Refrigerated

Bacterial swab specimen; specimen received in grossly leaking transport container; dry specimen; specimen submitted in fixative or additive; specimen received in expired transport media or incorrect transport device; inappropriate specimen transport conditions; specimen received after prolonged delay in transport (usually more than 72 hours); specimen types other than blood stored or transported at room temperature; wooden shaft swab in transport device; unlabeled specimen or name discrepancy between specimen and request label; hemolyzed blood sample

Inoculation of specimen into cell cultures, incubation of cultures, observation for characteristic cytopathic effect, and identification by DFA or other methods

 No virus isolated