Specimen Requirements

Collect:  Serum separator tube.

Specimen Preparation:  Separate serum from cells ASAP or within 2 hours of collection. Transfer 0.5 mL serum to an ARUP Standard Transport Tube. (Min: 0.15 mL) Parallel testing is preferred and convalescent specimens must be received within 30 days of the acute specimens. Mark specimens plainly as "acute" or "convalescent."

Storage/Transport Temperature:

Refrigerated. Also acceptable: Room temperature or frozen.

Unacceptable Conditions:  Plasma. Bacterially contaminated, heat-inactivated, hemolyzed, icteric, lipemic, or turbid specimens.

Stability:  After separation from cells: Ambient: 48 hours; Refrigerated: 2 weeks; Frozen: 1 year