Viral Culture, Rapid, Respiratory
Also known as: Culture, Viral, General, General Viral Culture, Routine Viral Culture, Viral Respiratory Culture, Virus Culture/Isolation
Use
Aid in the diagnosis of viral respiratory disease
Special Instructions
Submit one specimen per test requested and specify the exact specimen source or origin (e.g., nasopharynx). Indicate the specific test number on the request form. Age of the patient, relevant vaccinations, and pertinent clinical history are helpful. For suspected viral etiology, acute and convalescent serum should be collected for viral serology tests. Provide the date of onset of illness, date of collection, and a brief clinical description or provisional diagnosis.
Limitations
The culture is specific to common respiratory viruses and may not detect other viral agents that are not routinely identified by the methods used. Detection of viruses depends on the viral load and the phase of infection during specimen collection. Specimens should be collected during the acute phase of the disease for optimal sensitivity. Additional charges and CPT codes may apply for further testing if a virus other than the specified ones is detected. Inappropriate specimen transport and storage conditions can lead to false negatives due to viral degradation.
Methodology
Culture-based
Biomarkers
LOINC Codes
- 55101-0
- 55095-4
- 48310-7
- 38382-8
- 55097-0
- 55098-8
- 55099-6
- 55100-2
Result Turnaround Time
4-5 days
Related Documents
For more information, please review the documents below
Specimen
Nasopharyngeal Swab
Volume
1 mL fluid or one swab
Minimum Volume
Not provided
Container
Viral, Chlamydia, or Mycoplasma culture transport or other appropriate transport medium
Collection Instructions
Collect during the acute phase of disease. Carefully rub the posterior wall of the nasopharynx with a dry, sterile swab, avoiding the tongue or buccal mucosa, and place the swab in the viral transport tube.
Storage Instructions
Specimen must be kept cold and moist.
Causes for Rejection
Bacterial swab specimens, grossly leaking transport containers, dry specimens, specimens in fixatives/additives, expired transport media, incorrect transport devices, inappropriate transport conditions, delays over 72 hours, room temperature storage, wooden shaft swabs, unlabeled specimens.