SARS Coronavirus PCR
- LIS Mnemonic: SARSPCR
Collect
Nasopharyngeal Aspirate
Volume Required
N/A
Minimum Required
N/A
Transport
Keep specimen at 4C
Processing
Respiratory specimen of choice is a NASOPHARYNGEAL ASPIRATE. Collect the aspirate in a leukens trap and immediately transport to Clinical Virology Laboratory. Refer to the Nursing Procedure Manual, Section VII, Respiratory Care, 7:14:a for complete instructions on the collection of a nasopharyngeal aspirate using a leukens trap. Nasal washings, tracheal aspirates, and bronchoalveolar lavage specimens may be submitted. Collection of COMBINED THROAT AND NASOPHARYNGEAL SWABS is recommended for patients in which aspirates or washings cannot be readily obtained. For collection of nasopharyngeal swab specimen:1. Insert swab into one nostril.2. Press swab tip on the mucosal surface of the mid-inferior portion of the inferior turbinate, and rub the swab tip several times across the mucosal surface to loosen and collect cellular material.3. Withdrawal the swab; place swab into tube of Viral Transport Medium.For collection of oropharyngeal swab specimen:1. Ask patient to open mouth widely and phonate an 'ah'.2. Gently depress the tongue with a tongue blade.3. Guide a swab over the tongue into the posterior oropharynx.4. Using a gentle back-and-forth sweeping motion, swab the area behind the uvula and between the tonsillar pillars.5. Withdrawal the swab; place swab into the same tube of Viral Transport Medium that contains the nasoparyngeal swab. Immediately transport to the Clinical Virology Laboratory.
Days Performed
Daily
Reported
Same day
Reflex Testing
N/A
CPT
87798
Methodology
Amplification and detection of SARS coronavirus RNA using real-time TaqMan PCR and nucleic acid primer/probe pairs specific for conserved regions of the SARS coronavirus genome. This test is performed pursuant to an agreement with Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
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