Test Code VIRALGENITALCUL (2649) Herpes Simplex Virus Culture with Reflex Typing
Specimen Requirements
Preferred Specimen(s)
• Vesicle, lesion fluid, scrapings or swab from the base of
the lesion in Quest Diagnostics supplied V-C-M medium (green-cap)
tube or equivalent
• 2 mL of CSF in sterile tube or
V-C-M medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent
• Urogenital and respiratory specimens such as swabs,
secretions or washings, should be inoculated into V-C-M medium
(green-cap) tube or equivalent or submitted in a sterile leak-proof
container
• Conjunctival or corneal scrapings in V-C-M medium
(green-cap) tube or equivalent
• Tissues in sterile leak-proof containers with enough V-C-M
medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent added to prevent drying of
the specimen
TRANSPORT TEMPERATURE
Transport Container
Swabs: V-C-M medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent
CSF, respiratory fluids: Sterile,
leak-proof container or V-C-M medium (green-cap) tube or
equivalent
Transport Temperature
Refrigerated (cold packs)
Specimen Stability
V-C-M medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent:
Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 4 days
Frozen -20° C: Unacceptable
Frozen -70° C: 30 days
Unpreserved, raw specimens:
Refrigerated: 72 hours
PERFORMING LAB
Quest Diagnostics-South West