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Norovirus 1 and 2 Qualitative By PCR

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB7627, Beaker: Norovirus, Warde: NOPCR

Department

Send Outs

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: ONE of the following specimen types:

• Rectal swab: Place in universal viral transport media.
• Stool: 1.0 mL in a sterile collection container or Cary Blair preservative. (Minimum: 0.5 mL)

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Maintain specimen refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F) prior to transport.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: Stool or rectal swab specimen refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum stool: 0.5 mL)

Rejection Criteria

• Swabs in Ruhof-brand VTM, or any other Viral Transport containing guanidine-thiocyanate
• Specimens not collected and processed as indicated.

In-Lab Processing

Maintain specimen refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F) prior to transport.

Transport: Stool or rectal swab specimen refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum stool: 0.5 mL)

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 72 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 14 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 14 days

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Specimen retention time is determined by the policy of the reference laboratory. Contact the Send Outs Laboratory with any questions.

Laboratory

Send to Warde Medical Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI.

Performed

Monday – Saturday.
Results will be available in 3-4 days.

Reference Range

Not detected.

Test Methodology

Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR).

Interpretation

By report.

Clinical Utility

This method will detect genogroup 1 and genogroup 2 noroviruses. The analytical sensitivity of this assay is approximately 100 virus copies/assay. Positive results should be correlated with clinical presentation as Noroviruses are excreted in the stool for 2-3 weeks after clinical symptoms resolve. A negative result does not rule out infection.

CPT Codes

87798 x 2.
LOINC:  54905-5, Group 2  54906-3

Contacts

Last Updated

10/2/2023