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AN OVERVIEW
SERVICES OFFERED
PATHOLOGY RESIDENCY TRAINING PROGRAM
RESEARCH IN THE UPMC CLINICAL VIROLOGY LABORATORY
Links of Interest
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APPROPRIATE SPECIMENS FOR VIRUS CULTURE
(Note: This list does NOT include specimens for tests not done by our laboratory)
Organ System
Involved |
Agent Suspected |
Appropriate Specimens |
Respiratory
(Upper respiratory, tracheobronchitis, pneumonitis) |
Rhinovirus, RSV
Influenza, Parainfluenza
Cytomegalovirus
Adenovirus, Enterovirus |
NP, BAL, OTHER RESP FLD, NW
NP, BAL, LUNG BX, NW
BAL, LUNG BX, BC, THRT
THRT, BAL, STOOL |
Central Nervous
System
(Encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, meningitis, neuritis, polyradiculo-encephalopathy) |
Enterovirus
Cytomegalovirus |
THRT, STOOL, CSF
CSF, BC |
| Skin, Mucous Membrane, Eye |
Varicella-zoster
Herpes simplex
Enterovirus
Adenovirus |
VESICL
VESICL, THRT, EYE SWB
VESICL, THRT, STOOL
EYE SWB |
| Urogenital |
Herpes simplex
Adenovirus
Enterovirus
Cytomegalovirus
Chlamydia |
GENSWB, URN
THRT, URN
THRT, URN, STOOL
URN, BC, THRT
GENSWB, URN |
| Gastrointestinal |
Adenovirus
Enterovirus
Cytomegalovirus
Herpes simplex |
STOOL, THRT, BX
STOOL, BX, BC
STOOL, BX, BC |
Cardiovascular
(Pericarditis, myocarditis) |
Influenza
Enterovirus |
NP, NW
STOOL, THRT, PERICD |
| Mononucleosis |
Cytomegalovirus |
BC, THRT, URN |
Specimen Key:
BAL = bronchoalveolar lavage; BC = buffy coat (10 cc heparinized blood); BX = biopsy; CSF = cerebrospinal fluid; GENSWB = genital swab; PERICD = pericardial fluid; THRT = throat swab; THRW = throat wash; URN = urine; VESICL = vesicle/cyst aspirate or fluid; vesicle scraping; NW = nasal wash; NP = nasopharyngeal swab
Optimal times for collection of specimens:
- CSF - within seven days of onset; 1 to 5 cc required
- STOOL, URN - within two weeks of onset
- NP, NW - within five days of onset of symptoms
- URN, TW, BC for CMV - any time during illness
- VESICL (fluid or scraping), GEN SWB - as early as possible
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