Triage of in-patients, emergency department/observation patients, and high-risk outpatients (immunocompromised or underlying cardiac/lung conditions) presenting with signs and symptoms of acute respiratory illness. Tests for 17 viral and 3 bacterial respiratory pathogens, however, does NOT detect MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) or SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).
Ambulatory patients should have targeted testing for respiratory pathogens if indicated.
This assay does not detect MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) or SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
Nasopharyngeal (NP) swab collection:
New England Journal of Medicine video on NP swab collection: Nasopharyngeal Swab Collection Video
BD Universal Viral transport media (UTM)
Viral transport media (VTM), M4, M4RT or M5
Buffered saline (PBS)
Viral transport media (VTM), M4, M4RT or M5
Buffered saline (PBS)
Refrigerated (preferred) - 3 days
Ambient - 4 hours
Frozen (<-15°C) - 30 days
Real time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)
Not detected
Detected: The assay(s) for the organism were POSITIVE.
Not detected: The assay(s) for the organism were NEGATIVE.
Invalid: Failure of assay controls. Unable to determine detected (positive) or not detected (negative) for the target organism(s).
The results of this test should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis, treatment, or other management decisions.
Organism (abbreviation) |
Classification (Genome type) |
Season of Highest Incidencea |
Most Commonly Infected Demographic |
Adenovirus (AdV) |
Adenovirus (DNA) |
Late winter to early summer |
All ages, immunocompromised |
Bordetella parapertussis |
Bacterium (DNA) |
No peak season |
All ages |
Bordetella pertussis |
Bacterium (DNA) |
No peak season |
All ages |
Chlamydophila pneumoniae |
Bacterium (DNA) |
No peak season |
Older children, young adults, immunocompromised |
Coronavirus (CoV) 229E,HKU1, NL63, OC43 |
Coronavirus (RNA) |
Winter, spring |
Children, adults |
Enterovirus (EV) |
Picornavirus(RNA) |
Summer, early fall |
All ages |
Human Rhinovirus (HRV) |
Picornavirus (RNA) |
Fall, spring |
All ages |
Human Metapneumovirus (hMPV) |
Paramyxovirus (RNA) |
Winter, early spring |
Children |
Influenza A (Flu A) (subtypes H1, H1-2009, and H3) |
Orthomyxovirus (RNA)
|
Winter |
All ages, 5-20 % of US populationb |
Influenza B (Flu B) |
Orthomyxovirus (RNA) |
Winter |
All ages, 5-20 % of US Populationb |
Mycoplasma pneumoniae |
Bacterium (DNA) |
Outbreaks most common in summer, outbreak periodicity 4 – 7 years |
Older children, young adults |
Parainfluenza Virus 1 (PIV1) |
Paramyxovirus (RNA) |
Fall, periodicity of 1-2 years |
Infants, young children, immunocompromised |
Parainfluenza Virus 2 (PIV2) |
Paramyxovirus (RNA) |
Fall, periodicity of 1-2 years |
Infants, young children, immunocompromised |
Parainfluenza Virus 3 (PIV3) |
Paramyxovirus (RNA) |
Spring, summer |
Infants, young children, Immunocompromised |
Parainfluenza Virus 4 (PIV4) |
Paramyxovirus (RNA) |
Unknown |
All ages |
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) |
Paramyxovirus (RNA) |
Winter, varies by location[ |
Children, older adults
|
SARS-CoV-2 |
Coronavirus (RNA) |
Novel pandemic Coronavirus |
All ages |
a Based on North American seasons
b During annual Influenza epidemics, 5-20% of the population is affected with upper respiratory tract infections with rapid onset of fever.