Specimen Collection
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Accepted specimen types: Nasopharyngeal swab in UTM/VTM (viral transport media)
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Nasopharyngeal aspirate
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Bronchoalveolar lavage / bronchial washings
-
Tracheal aspirate
Minimum 1 mL sample volume required
for Bronchoalveolar lavage or Tracheal aspirate.
Please note: Sputum specimens are often inhibitory and are not accepted for this assay
Request forms MUST state the RAT result and the reason for requesting PCR. Specimens sent with incomplete request forms will not be tested until all the information is provided.
For
urgent Respiratory PCR FilmArray testing
please see:
Respiratory Film Array PCR
Reference Intervals
Qualitative results (
detected
/
not detected
) reported
Turnaround Time:
Within 24 hours of receipt of specimen in the virology lab.
Assay Method
Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. The assay is performed on the Panther Fusion (Hologic).
The information below refers to respiratory virus testing. For
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) testing please see:
SARS-CoV-2
Diagnostic Use and Interpretation
Criteria for testing
Respiratory virus testing should only be performed when it will alter clinical management. For patients that require respiratory virus testing, the first line test to perform is a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). RATs are reliable for the diagnosis of acute infection for the majority of cases. In select circumstances, a RAT may be falsely negative, and a PCR is required. Only select patients (Priority Risk Groups) will be tested by PCR if they are RAT-negative. These groups are:
Priority Risk Groups:
-
Priority wards: adult and paediatric Haematology, Oncology, and Intensive Care Units
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Significant immunosuppression (e.g. transplant patients. Please note chronic illness or prolonged low dose steroid use does not constitute significant immunosuppression)\
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Pregnant >20 weeks gestation with hypoxaemia
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Children where the result would change clinical management (e.g. significant deterioration, lack of response to current management)
-
Eligible for antiviral treatment (acute presentation, within 3 days from symptom onset)
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Senior clinician (e.g. SMO) discretion as to why a PCR result will alter clinical management
Priority risk groups (except for priority wards - see below) will be tested for the following viruses by PCR:
-
Influenza A
-
Influenza B
-
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
-
SARS-CoV-2
Patients from the priority wards (listed above) will be tested for the following respiratory viruses by PCR:
-
Influenza A
-
Influenza B
-
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
-
SARS-CoV-2
-
Parainfluenza 1 to 4
-
Adenovirus
-
Rhinovirus
-
Human metapneumovirus
Samples from the community will not be accepted for respiratory virus testing without prior approval from a Clinical Virologist. The sole exception to this is samples that are from an outbreak investigation directed by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service.
Samples that do not meet the above criteria will
not
be tested for respiratory viruses by PCR, unless prior approval is obtained from the Clinical Virologist.
For further discussion, or to seek approval for testing, please contact Virology via email on
ak-virology@tewhatuora.govt.nz
Contact Information
Urgent enquiries:
-
In normal working hours (0800-1600 Mon-Fri) contact Clinical Virology via LabLINK (internal extension 22000, external number 093078995).
-
Outside of normal working hours (evenings and weekends) contact the On Call Clinical Microbiologist via Te Whatu Ora Te Toka Tumai Auckland main switchboard (093670000).
Non-urgent enquiries:
email
ak-virology@tewhatuora.govt.nz