Influenza A and B Culture, Rapid Method

35945

3 mL nasopharyngeal aspirate/wash, bronchial lavage/wash, tracheal aspirate in sterile, leak-proof container or VCM tube or FDA approved equivalent viral transport media, or
1 throat or nasopharyngeal swab in VCM tube or FDA approved equivalent viral transport media

1 mL

To maintain optimum viability, place swab or fluid into VCM tube (equal volumes of fluid and media) or FDA approved equivalent viral transport media and transport the specimen to the laboratory 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 transport media should be frozen at -70° C or colder and transported on dry ice. Storage or transport at -20° C is not acceptable. Raw (unpreserved) specimens should only be refrigerated and not frozen.

Refrigerated (cold packs)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Raw (unpreserved) specimens
Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 72 hours
Frozen: Unacceptable

VCM tube or FDA approved equivalent
Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 4 days
Frozen -20° C: Unacceptable
Frozen -70° C: 30 days

Throats on <2 year old patients • Specimen in non viral transport medium such as nucleic acid or bacterial transport media • Non-respiratory specimens • Dry swabs • Specimen in formalin or other fixatives • Received room temperature or frozen -20° C

Set up: Mon-Sat; Report available: 3-5 days

Influenza viruses are common human respiratory pathogens and a major cause of widespread epidemics. Infection rates usually peak during the fall, winter and spring. Rapid detection of influenza provides a basis for treating individuals with antiviral drugs and for managing outbreaks in the general population by providing vaccinations.