Swab: Dacron (polyester) swab, BBL Culture swab, or Culturettes

Collection container: Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap) with polyester sterile swab or Copan UTM-RT

Urine: Screw cap plastic container (sterile)

Lab Testing for Measles at the MDH Public Health Laboratory - MN Dept. of Health (state.mn.us)

Collect specimens for PCR as soon as possible after rash onset (maximum 9 days after rash onset).  Consider day 0 as rash onset date.

• Collect a throat swab between 0 and 5 days of onset of rash
  • Vigorously swab tonsillar areas.
  • Use tongue blade to depress tongue to prevent contamination of swab with saliva.
• Place swab into 2-3 ml of transport media.
• Collect urine (in addition to the throat swab) between 6-9 days of onset of rash
  • Collect 10 - 40 mL of urine in a sterile urine specimen container.
  • Have patient void directly into container, collecting from the first part of the urine stream if possible.
  • First-morning voided specimens are ideal, but any urine collection is adequate.

Submit entire specimen

Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap) or Copan UTM-RT 

Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs in UTM
(acceptable but not preferred)

Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap) or Copan UTM-RT 

MDH Infectious Disease Laboratory submission form

Refrigerated (preferred)

Frozen - OK

• Nasal swabs are not recommended and require prior approval from MDH
• Dry swabs
• Wood-tipped applicators, Cotton-tipped
  swabs, Calcium-alginate tipped swabs,
  Charcoal swabs, Gel swabs
• Anaerobic media

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Negative

MDH will contact the ordering provider directly with any positive results

Lab Testing for Measles at the MDH Public Health Laboratory

Consider lab testing for patients who meet the clinical case definition for measles:

• Fever of 101°F (38.3°C) or higher and
• Cough, coryza, or conjunctivitis and
• A generalized, maculopapular rash lasting three days or more

Providers should ask about exposure, travel (past month), and MMR history. This helps us assess suspicion level, but providers should not rule-out a suspect diagnosis based on those factors.