Acceptable Specimens

• Bacterial PCR

Fresh frozen tissue specimen, paraffin embedded tissues, or non-blood body fluid acceptable. Respiratory and genitourinary samples may be submitted if reflexive testing by Next generation sequencing (NGS16S) is selected. Please call before collecting specimen with swab (e-swab is acceptable). No citrated or heparinized solutions. Direct blood, serum, plasma and stool specimens are not acceptable. Tissues floating in excess formalin are not acceptable.

• Fungal PCR

Fresh frozen tissue specimen, paraffin embedded tissues, non-blood body fluid (including bronchoalveolar lavage), or skin scrapings acceptable. Please call before collecting specimen with swab (e-swab is acceptable). No citrated or heparinized solutions. Upper respiratory, genitourinary, direct blood, serum, plasma and stool specimens are not acceptable. Tissues floating in excess formalin are not acceptable.

• AFB PCR (including Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria)

Fresh frozen tissue specimen, paraffin embedded tissues, and non-blood body fluids are acceptable. Sputum specimens can be tested for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and/or Mycobacterium avium complex only (see TBCDNA/MAVDNA for details). Please call before collecting specimen with swab (e-swab is acceptable). No citrated or heparinized solutions. Direct blood, serum, plasma and stool specimens are not acceptable. Tissues floating in excess formalin are not acceptable.

• Bacterial Sequencing
• AFB Sequencing
• Fungal Sequencing
• MRSA typing
• Strain typing by Next generation sequencing
• mecA gene detection

Pure culture: plate, slant, or blood culture bottle (pure)

• Aspergillus PCR
• Coccidioides PCR
• Cryptococcus PCR
• Histoplasma PCR
• Zygomycete PCR
• Pneumocystis PCR

Fresh frozen tissue specimen, paraffin embedded tissues, lower respiratory specimen, or other non-blood body fluid acceptable. Fresh frozen specimens ideal. Direct blood, serum, plasma and stool specimens are not acceptable. No citrated or heparinized solutions are acceptable.

• Bartonella PCR - Tissue or Culture

Pure culture: plate, slant, or blood culture bottle. Fresh frozen tissue specimen, paraffin embedded tissue, or non-blood body fluid also acceptable. No citrated or heparinized solutions are acceptable. Tissues floating in excess formalin are not acceptable. Direct blood, serum, plasma and stool specimens are not acceptable.

• M. tuberculosis complex PCR
• M. avium complex PCR

Fresh frozen tissue specimen, paraffin embedded tissues, non-blood body fluid, respiratory specimens (including Sputum) acceptable. Please call before collecting specimen with swab (e-swab is acceptable). No citrated or heparinized solutions. Direct blood, serum, plasma and stool specimens are not acceptable. Tissues floating in excess formalin are not acceptable.

• Legionella PCR
• Mycoplasma PCRs
• Toxoplasma PCR
• Tropheryma whipplei PCR

Fresh frozen tissue specimen, paraffin embedded tissues, non-blood body fluid, genitourinary, or lower respiratory specimen acceptable. Please call before collecting specimen with swab (e-swab is acceptable). No citrated or heparinized solutions. Direct blood, serum, plasma and stool specimens are not acceptable. Tissues floating in excess formalin are not acceptable.