HIV-1 Viral Load

Message

WALTER REED

Test Code

WR17

Alias/See Also

"REFERRAL HIV-1 RNA PCR
HIV-1 ViralLoad
HIV1ref
550430 LabCorp
LCA 550430
ID-HIV-1 ViralLoad PCR"

Preferred Specimen

Plasma 3.5 mL

Minimum Volume

1.1 mL

Instructions

"Collect specimen in lavender-top (EDTA) tube or PPT . Do
not use green-top (heparin) tubes. Centrifuge specimen within six hours of collection. Remove plasma, transfer plasma to a screw-cap polypropylene transport tube (not pop top or snap cap ), and freeze. Ship frozen (preferred). Do not ship frozen in PPT . If PPT is used to collect plasma, specimen must be transferred to a screw-cap tube prior to freezing to avoid false elevation of low viral load samples. To avoid delays in turnaround time when requesting multiple tests on frozen samples, please submit separate frozen specimens for each test requested."

Transport Container

Lav/EDTA

Transport Temperature

Ship in a screw-cap polypropylene frozen transport tube

Specimen Stability

"Freeze. Stable at room temperature for up to
one day or refrigerated for up to five days. Freeze for long-term
storage. "

Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)

"Hemolysis; green-top (heparin) tube; specimen
received in pop top or snap cap tube; quantity not sufficient for
analysis; frozen PPT[tm]"

The CPT Codes provided in this document are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the payor being billed. Any Profile/panel component may be ordered separately. Reflex tests are performed at an additional charge.