Specimen Collection
Essential requirements for microbial nucleic acid detection tests ("PCR"):
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Priority order - where multiple tests have been requested on the same specimen, order of clinical priority should be clearly numbered, to guide testing when there is insufficient specimen volume for all tests.
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Contamination prevention - a separate, dedicated specimen in a sterile container is required for PCR testing (not for each individual PCR test). Specimens collected in non-sterile containers or shared with other types of testing may be contaminated leading to false positive results.
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Required volume - there should be sufficient specimen volume for all tests requested.
Accepted specimen types:
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Genital ulcer/chancre swab in UTM/VTM
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Placental tissue - fresh or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE)
Turnaround Time: Within 4 days
Assay Method
Qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (detected / not detected).
Diagnostic Use and Interpretation
Diagnosis of current infection.
Contact Information
Urgent enquiries
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In normal working hours (0800-1600 Mon-Fri) contact Clinical Virology via LabLINK (internal extension 22000, external number 093078995).
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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