Viral Serologies
Serological Tests Not Performed by the Virology Division Laboratory
- “Acute and/or convalescent viral titers” or “viral studies” requests are too vague. Sera with only this information will be held for 6 weeks and if no other information is called to the laboratory, the sera will be discarded.
- “TORCH” screens are not available through the Virology Laboratory. Viral serologies on babies are not generally useful unless they measure IgM antibodies; IgG assays will only reflect maternal serostatus. For the “TORCH” organisms, reliable IgM assays are available for rubella and CMV and Toxoplasma (Microbiology section). Herpes, CMV and enteroviruses are best diagnosed by culture of babies’ urine, throat, rectum or conjunctiva.
- Enterovirus serologies (except Coxsackie B) are not performed because there are no common antigens among the 31 serotypes. Throat, rectal and occasionally CSF cultures are recommended. Most enteroviruses are shed for 2 to 4 weeks following onset of disease. Enterovirus PCR is also available for CSF samples.
- Chlamydia psittaci serologies are performed at the Seattle-King County Health Department and Washington State Department of Health Laboratories. Chlamydia psittaci cultures are also performed at the Washington State Department of Health laboratories.
