Respiratory Virus Screen, DFA with Reflex to ID [14860X]

15020

If the Rapid Respiratory DFA Viral Screen is positive, the individual virus antigens (Adenovirus, Influenza A, Influenza B, Parainfluenza 1, Parainfluenza 2, Parainfluenza 3, and RSV) will be performed at an additional charge (CPT code(s): 87260, 87276, 87275, 87279 x3, 87280).

3 mL nasopharyngeal aspirate/wash, or bronchial lavage/wash submitted in VCM Transport Medium

1 mL

Nasopharyngeal swab or aspirate/wash, or throat swab submitted in VCM Transport Medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent, or M4 Transport Medium • Bronchial lavage/wash or nasopharyngeal lavage/wash submitted in a sterile, leak-proof container

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 at 2-8ºC 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 at -70ºC or colder and transported on dry ice. Storage or transport at - 20ºC is not acceptable.

Raw (unpreserved) samples should only be refrigerated and not frozen.

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

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

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

Set up: Mon-Fri; Report available: 2 days

Negative

Influenza viruses are markedly epidemic and known to cause pandemics. "Influenza season" takes place during colder weather, generally regarded as October-May. Complications are a concern in the young, the elderly and in persons with chronic cardio-pulmonary diseases. Superinfections with other viruses and bacteria may occur. Parainfluenza viruses cause croup and pneumonia in children under the age of 5 and are one of the leading causes of lower respiratory illness. These cause upper respiratory illness in adults.
RSV causes mild infections in immunocompetent adults and bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants, young children and immunocompromised/immunosuppressed adults. Simultaneous co-infections of parainfluenza 3 and RSV have been well documented.
Adenovirus may cause respiratory illness as well as hepatitis, meningitis, encephalitis, diarrhea and rash. The virus may be shed over long periods of time and may be found in respiratory, eye, fecal or urine specimens.