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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