Direct Fluorescent Antibody Stain (DFA)
VZV
See Collection Instructions
Quest Diagnostics San Juan Capistrano
LAB07540
Monday-Saturday
1-2 Days
Vesicular lesion swab in 3 mL VCM medium (green-cap)/equivalent tube or or air dried smear
See Below
1-3 mL vesicular lesion swab or fluid in steril screw-cap container; Eye swab in VCM medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent also acceptable. To maintain optimal viability, place swab into VCM or equivalent and transport the specimen to the lab as soon as possible. Best recovery is obtained when the specimens are refrigerated at 2-8 C or kept on wet ice following collection and while in transit. If there will be a long delay before processing, specimens in VCM or equivalent should be frozen at -70 C or colder and transported on dry ice. Storage or transport at -20 C is not acceptable. Raw (unpreserved) samples should only be refrigerated and not frozen.
Refrigerate-OK/Frozen-OK
Room Temp: Unacceptable (7 Days for slides); Refrigerated: 72 Hours (7 Days for slides); Frozen: (-70) 30 Days and (-20) Unacceptable (Unacceptable for raw unpreserved samples and slides)
Frozen or broken slides; Dried swabs; Specimens past stability or unacceptable temp; Nucleic acid transport; Gel swabs
3 mL Body Fluid
1 mL Body Fluid
Indicate source in comments, on specimen, and on batch sheet.
87290
09-27-22