Atypical Pneumonia DNA Panel, Qualitative,  Real-Time PCR

APNEUMOQLPCR

17610X

Atypical Pneumonia
PNEUMOPLQL
17610X

Mycoplasma pneumoniae DNA, Qualitative, Real-Time PCR
Legionella DNA, Qualitative, Real-Time PCR
Chlamydophila pneumoniae, DNA, Qualitative, Real-Time PCR

1 mL sputum or bronchial lavage/wash collected in a sterile, leak-proof plastic container or throat or nasopharyngeal swab in M4 media or V-C-M medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent (UTM)

0.35 mL sputum or bronchial lavage/wash

Nasopharyngeal and Throat swab in M4, VCM (UTM) Media (Use only sterile Dacron or rayon swabs.) Do NOT use calcium alginate swabs, as they may contain substances that inhibit PCR testing. Break applicator sticks off near the tip to permit tightening of the cap.
Sputum: Collect in a sputum collection kit or a sterile, leak-proof plastic container.
Bronchial Lavage: Collect in a sterile, leak-proof plastic container.

Refrigerated (cold packs)

Room temperature: 48 hours
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: 30 days

Calcium alginate swabs

Sets up 7 days a week.

See individual tests

Atypical pneumonias share two features, which often makes it difficult to distinguish or diagnose the symptoms based on clinical presentation alone. The presentation is often a nonlobar, patchy, or interstitial pattern on chest x-ray. Routine culture and Gram stain fails to identify a causative agent. Respiratory virus can be grouped in this category, as well. Generally physicians will order this panel on severely ill and/or immunocompromised patients, not generally on out patients.