Parainfluenza Virus Antigen Detection, DFA

39494

Parainfluenza 1, Parainfluenza 2, Parainfluenza 3

Nasopharyngeal aspirate/wash, or bronchial lavage/wash submitted in 3 mL VCM medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent

1 mL

Nasopharyngeal swab, or throat swab, nasal swab submitted in VCM medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent

To maintain optimum viability, place swab or fluid into VCM (equal volumes of fluid and VCM) or equivalent and transport the specimen to the laboratory as soon as possible. Best recovery is obtained when the specimens are refrigerated 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 VCM or equivalent should be frozen -70°C or colder and transported on dry ice. Storage or transport -20°C is not acceptable. Raw (unpreserved) samples should only be refrigerated and not frozen.

Please note: No longer are acceptable: nasopharyngeal lavage/wash or slides; trachael lavage/wash and tracheal aspirates.

VCM medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent

Refrigerated (cold packs)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VCM medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent
Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 4 days
Frozen -20° C: Unacceptable
Frozen -70° C: 30 days

Unpreserved specimen in sterile container
Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 72 hours
Frozen: Unacceptable

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 • Slides

Set up: Mon-Sat; Report available: 2-3 days

Parainfluenza virus is the second most common cause of lower respiratory disease in young children. Parainfluenza virus can cause respiratory tract illness in patients of any age.