Adenovirus Antigen, DFA

8355

3 mL of nasopharyngeal aspirate/wash, bronchial lavage/wash, throat swab, conjunctival swab or nasal/nasopharyngeal swab in VCM medium (green-cap) tube or equivalent

1 mL

Raw (unpreserved) nasopharyngeal aspirate/wash, bronchial lavage/wash specimen in a sterile screw-cap 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 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 -70ºC or colder and transported on dry ice. Storage or transport -20ºC is not acceptable. Raw (unpreserved) samples should only be refrigerated and not frozen.

Refrigerated (cold packs)

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

Raw (unpreserved) specimen
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 or non conjunctival specimens • Dry swabs • Specimen in formalin or other fixatives • Received room temperature or frozen at -20° C

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

See Laboratory Report

Adenovirus causes respiratory tract infections, conjunctivitis, and diarrhea. Infections are most common in individuals who are immunocompromised and in young children. Adenovirus antigen detection is useful to confirm the diagnosis of adenovirus infection in patients with respiratory illness.