Herpes simplex virus culture and typing [select patients only]

Alphabetical Test listing

Herpes simplex virus culture and typing [select patients only]-994

Test name:

Test number:

994

Excellian order number:

LAB994

Abbreviation:

MSO

Alternate names:

ELVIS HSV
Five- to seven-day Herpes virus culture/type
HSV
HSV culture and typing
Viral Culture, HSV
Virus Isolation, Herpes Simplex

Tests included:

Cell culture by ELVIS® method
Identification and typing of herpes simplex virus.

Useful for:

This is a second-order test for HSV detection.

PCR testing (2784A/LAB2784A) is preferred for detection of HSV from lesions.

Limitations:

Culture is less sensitive than PCR and should be reserved for selected source types for which PCR testing is not available, and clinical situations that require culture confirmation for susceptibility testing.

Specimen type:

Swab: NP, throat, ulcerated lesion, eye exudate or vaginal

Collection container:

Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap)

Collection instructions:

Specimen is best collected within the first three days after appearance of lesion but no more than seven days.

Processing instructions:

After collection, remove cap from the transport media tube and insert swab aseptically into transport tube
Break swab shaft.
Replace cap so that swab will not interfere with closure and allow tube to leak
Label tube with patient identification and transport to the laboratory at 4°C.

Transport container:

Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap)

Alternate specimen type:

Fluid (vesicular fluid, urine, CSF)
Tissue (biopsy or autopsy)

Alternate collection container:

Body fluids and tissue samples may be submitted in Copan UTM-RT transport (purple cap) or in a sterile leakproof container.

Alternate specimen volume:

Fluid - 1.0 mL
Tissue - 0.5 g

Alternate transport container:

Sterile vial/container

Required forms/information:

Specify the exact specimen source/origin (eg, genital lesion).

Transport and stability:

Refrigerated - 7 days

Reason for rejection:

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 stored or transported greater than seven days refrigerated
Specimen stored or transported at room temperature
Wooden shaft swab in transport device
Unlabeled specimen or name discrepancy between specimen and test request label

Performing lab:

LabCorp Burlington (008250): R-NX

Days set up:

Daily

TAT:

6 days

Method:

Enzyme-linked virus-inducible system (ELVIS®). ELVIS® HSV was developed using a transgenic baby hamster kidney-21 cell line. In this cell line, HSV infection causes the expression of a beta-galactosidase "reporter gene", and it is the expression of this gene that can be used to monitor infection by HSV. Cultures positive by ELVIS® are confirmed by immunofluorescent staining.

Reference ranges:

Negative

Clinical information:

Infectious HSV is rarely present in CSF during encephalitis, resulting in a poor recovery by culture (< 5% in adults, < 50% in children). Studies have shown a > 98% detection of HSV DNA in CSF by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and this method is now considered the standard for diagnosis of HSV encephalitis. HSV is occasionally isolated from the CSF of patients with HSV-2 meningitis and of neonates with congenital herpes, and from urine of patients with primary genital HSV infections concurrent with cystitis.

CPT codes:

87255

LOINC code:

Result 5859-4

Date created:

05/29/2019

Revised date:

03/18/2022

Review date:

02/20/2024