Test A-Z
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Tests available |
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Test |
Target turn-around |
Validated Sample types |
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Client sample postage: returns and forwarding to PHE |
Next day |
Anyψ |
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16S rRNA bacterial gene detection |
2 days |
Any (inc. fixed tissue) preferably from normally sterile sites |
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16S rRNA bacterial gene sequencing |
2 days |
PCR product (see detection above) or bacterial culture |
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Pan fungal (18S) DNA detection |
3 days |
Any (inc. fixed tissue) preferably from normally sterile sites |
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Pan fungal (18S) DNA sequencing |
3 days |
PCR product (see detection above) or fungal culture |
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Acanthamoeba DNA |
2 days |
For eyes - Corneal scrape, swab or contact lens, contact lens solution Meningitis - CSF |
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Adenovirus DNA |
Next day |
Vitreous fluid, eye fluid, serum, skin swab, blood, plasma, urine, bronchial washings, NPA, swab (Nose, throat, eye), CSF, pericardial fluid, bone marrow. |
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Adenovirus DNA quantitation |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, CSF and plasma |
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Adenovirus typing (Research only) |
5 days |
PCR product generated in-house from the sample types detailed for Adenovirus DNA |
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Alpha-1 antitrypsin genotyping |
5 days |
EDTA/citrated whole blood |
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Aspergillus genus DNA |
5 days |
EDTA/citrated whole blood/ lower respiratory sample ((BAL, bronchial washings, sputum) |
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Bartonella genus ▲ |
2 days |
EDTA whole blood, tissue |
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Bocavirus |
Next day |
Any upper / lower respiratory specimen (sputum, BAL, NPA, nasopharyngeal swab etc), BAL and NPA preferred |
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Bordetella pertussis DNA |
2 days |
NPA, perinasal and nasopharyngeal swab |
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Borrelia genus |
2 days |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, CSF, skin biopsy |
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Brucella genus DNA |
3 days |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, CSF, tissue. We do not accept cultures for safety reasons |
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Candida albicans DNA |
2 days |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, CSF, eye fluid |
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Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA |
Next day |
Any respiratory specimen (sputum, BAL, NPA, nasopharyngeal swab etc), BAL and NPA preferred |
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Chlamydia psittaci DNA |
2 days |
BAL, nasopharyngeal swab |
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Chlamydia trachomatis DNA **** If sending for confirmation in accordance with BASHH guidelines, please telephone the laboratory for further information. |
2 days |
Eye swab, throat swab For genitourinary: Female: Endocervical, vaginal or rectal swab, ‘Thin prep’ endocervical cellular specimens. Male: Urethral swab, first pass urine, rectal swab |
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Clostridium difficile (Research only) |
3 days |
Stool |
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Coronavirus 229E, HKU1, NL63 or OC43 |
Next day |
Any upper / lower respiratory sample |
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Coxiella burnetii |
Next day |
EDTA whole blood, BAL and tissues. We do not accept cultures for safety reasons. |
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Cryptococcus neoformans DNA |
Next day |
CSF, EDTA whole blood |
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Cytomegalovirus DNA |
Same day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, urine, serum/EDTA plasma, eye fluid, tissue, biopsy or respiratory specimen - BAL preferred. Pregnancy – EDTA whole blood, amniotic fluid, cervical swab, serum/plasma |
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Cytomegalovirus DNA quantitation |
Same day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, urine, serum/EDTA plasma, eye fluid |
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Cytomegalovirus drug resistance (ganciclovir, foscarnet or cidofovir) (UL97 and UL54) |
5 days |
Whole blood, serum / plasma |
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Enterovirus RNA |
Next day |
CSF, swab, stool, tissue, serum, plasma, EDTA/citrated whole blood - may be useful in suspected meningitis cases |
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Enterovirus typing (Research only) |
3 days |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood, stool, respiratory samples, tissue, serum, plasma |
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Epstein Barr Virus DNA |
Same day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, CSF, urine, serum, plasma, biopsy, |
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Epstein Barr Virus DNA quantitation |
Same day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, CSF, urine, serum, plasma |
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Escherichia coli DNA |
2 days |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood |
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Factor V Mutation + Prothrombin |
5 days |
EDTA / citrated whole blood |
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Forensic DNA Profiling – tissue extraction |
10 days |
Muscle |
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Forensic DNA Profiling - extraction from bone or teeth |
15 days |
Bone/teeth |
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Forensic DNA Profiling For identification of human remains and comparison of clinical samples |
10 days |
Cheek swab, EDTA/citrated whole blood, tissue, serum, fixed tissue (least preferred sample), personal items (Hairbrush, comb, razor) |
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Group A Streptococcus (S.pyogenes) DNA |
Next day |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood, tissue |
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Group B Streptococcus (S. agalactiae) DNA |
Next day |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood, tissue |
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Haemochromatosis H63D C282Y |
5 days |
EDTA / citrated whole blood |
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Haemophilus ducreyi DNA |
2 days |
Swab |
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Haemophilus influenzae/parainfluenzae DNA |
Next day |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood. |
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HBV Core/PreCore Mutations |
5 days |
Serum/plasma |
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Hepatitis B core antibody (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
3 days |
Li‑heparin, Na‑heparin, K2‑EDTA, K3‑EDTA, ACD, CPD, CP2D, CPDA and Na‑citrate plasma |
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Hepatitis B e antibody (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
3 days |
Li‑heparin, Na‑heparin, K2‑EDTA, K3‑EDTA, ACD, CPD, CP2D, CPDA and Na‑citrate plasma |
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Hepatitis B e antigen (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
3 days |
Serum preferred or Na-heparin*, Li‑heparin*, K2‑EDTA, K3‑EDTA, ACD, CPD, CP2D, CPDA and Na‑citrate plasma. |
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Hepatitis B drug resistance mutation screen ♦ |
5 days |
Serum/plasma Please supply viral load if available. |
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Hepatitis B surface antibody (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
3 days |
Serum preferred or K2/K3EDTA plasma ** |
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Hepatitis B surface antigen (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
3 days |
Serum preferred or Li-heparin*, Na-citrate, K2/K3- EDTA, CPDA, CPD, CP2D, ACD, citrate plasma. |
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Hepatitis B surface antigen quantitation (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
3 days |
Serum preferred or Li-heparin*, Na-heparin*, K2-EDTA, citrate plasma |
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Hepatitis B virus DNA (<16IU/mL) ♦ ▲ |
Next day |
At least 0.3mLserum/plasma |
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Hepatitis B virus DNA quantitation (<16IU/mL) ♦ ▲ |
Next day |
At least 0.3mL serum/plasma |
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Hepatitis B genotyping ♦ |
3 days |
At least 0.3mL serum/plasma |
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Hepatitis C antibody (EIA) (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
3 days |
serum preferred or Li-heparin*, K2/K3-EDTA, Na-heparin, Na-citrate, CPDA, CPD, CP2D, and ACD plasma. |
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Hepatitis C antibody (RIBA) (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
3 days |
Serum preferred or Li-heparin*, citrate or EDTA plasma |
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Hepatitis C NS5A resistance testing ♦ |
4 days |
At least 0.3ml serum/plasma Please supply viral load if available. |
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Hepatitis C genotyping ♦ |
3 days |
At least 0.3mL serum/plasma Please supply viral load if available. |
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Hepatitis C virus RNA (<15IU/ml) ♦ ▲ |
Next day |
At least 0.7ml serum/plasma, 1ml is preferable. Please send more sample if other tests are required. |
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Hepatitis C virus RNA quantitation (<15IU/ml) ♦ ▲ |
Next day |
At least 0.7ml serum/plasma, 1ml is preferable. Please send more sample if other tests are required. |
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Hepatitis D virus RNA ♦ |
3 days |
At least 0.3mL serum/plasma This assay should always be reviewed in conjunction with HBV investigations. |
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Hepatitis D virus RNA quantitation ♦ |
3 days |
At least 0.3mL serum/plasma. This assay should always be reviewed in conjunction with HBV investigations. |
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Hepatitis E virus RNA |
2 days |
At least 0.3mL serum/plasma, CSF, whole blood, stool |
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Hepatitis E virus RNA quantitation |
2 days |
At least 0.3mL serum/plasma, CSF, whole blood |
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Herpes Simplex virus DNA ▲ |
Next day |
CSF, AC tap, EDTA/citrated whole blood, vesicle fluid, skin/eye/corneal vesicle/lesion swab, tissue (Biopsy and fixed included). Any respiratory specimen (sputum, BAL, NPA, nasopharyngeal swab etc) . aqueous / vitreous humour. Genitourinary - For female: Endocervical or vulval lesions sample area with a swab and place into viral transport media (VTM). Male: Penile lesions - Penile swab placed into VTM. Urine is not a recommended sample type for diagnosis of infection in male or females. Pregnancy – vulval/vaginal swab |
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Herpes Simplex Acyclovir drug resistance |
5 days |
HSV-1 positive samples, including CSF, Corneal scrapes, vesicle fluid, swabs, and whole blood |
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Herpes Simplex virus types I & II typing ▲ |
Next day |
Performed routinely on positive HSV samples (including CSF, amniotic fluid, EDTA/citrated-whole blood, vesicle fluid, skin/lesion swab, tissue samples and biopsies, any respiratory specimen (sputum, BAL, NPA, nasopharyngeal swab etc). HSV positive eye samples and oral swabs are typed upon request. Specific requirements for genitourinary samples: Males: Penile lesions-penile swabs placed into VTM. Females: Endocervical or vulval lesion swabs placed into VTM. In pregnancy, vulval/vaginal swabs placed into VTM. Urine is not a recommended sample type for the diagnosis of infection in male or female patients. |
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HIV I & II antibody and p24 antigen (EIA) (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
3 days |
Serum preferred or Li-heparin*, EDTA, ACD, CPD, CP2D, CPDA and Na‑citrate plasma |
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HIV I & II antibody (LIA) (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
3 days |
Serum preferred or Li-heparin*, citrate or EDTA plasma |
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HIV I & II antibody (LIA) – saliva (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
3 days |
Saliva |
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HIV-1 proviral LTR, env, gag and pol genes ****** |
2 days |
EDTA whole blood preferred or serum/plasma, CSF▲ |
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HIV-1 RNA drug resistance ♦ |
9 days |
Serum/plasma. This test requires at least 500μL of sample. Please supply viral load if available. |
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HIV-1 RNA Integrase drug resistance ♦ |
9 days |
Serum/plasma. This test requires at least 500μL of sample. Please supply viral load if available. |
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HIV-1 RNA quantitation ♦ |
3 days |
EDTA Plasma, CSF. Please supply 2mL EDTA plasma. |
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HIV-2 proviral LTR and pol DNA/RNA***** |
2 days |
EDTA whole blood preferred or serum/plasma, CSF▲ |
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HTLV I & II antibody (Tests scheduled Wednesday) |
2 days |
Serum preferred or EDTA, citrate plasma |
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HTLV DNA or RNA |
3 days |
EDTA/citrated whole blood or CSF |
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Human Herpesvirus 6A and 6B DNA |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood (CSF in encephalitis), bone marrow biopsies, , plasma, serum |
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Human Herpesvirus 6 DNA quantitation |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood (CSF in encephalitis), bone marrow, plasma, serum |
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Human Herpesvirus 7 DNA |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, CSF, plasma***, serum*** |
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Human Herpesvirus 7 DNA quantitation |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, CSF, plasma***, serum*** |
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Human Herpesvirus 8 DNA |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, plasma***, serum*** |
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Human Herpesvirus 8 DNA quantitation |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, plasma***, serum*** |
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Human metapneumovirus RNA |
Same day |
Any upper / lower respiratory specimen |
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Human Papillomavirus DNA detection |
5 days |
Swab, tissue (including fixed). Please state site of swab / tissue type. For genital samples: Female: Endocervical swab sent in VTM or ‘thin prep’ endocervical cellular specimens. Male: Penile swab placed into VTM or fresh biopsy tissue. |
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Human Papillomavirus DNA typing |
5 days |
Any positive detected from samples detailed for HPV detection. |
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Human Papillomavirus DNA high risk typing(Genital samples only) |
5 days |
Female: Endocervical swab sent in VTM or ‘thin prep’ endocervical cellular specimens. Male: Penile swab placed into VTM. |
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IL28B gene (rs12979860) |
4 days |
EDTA / citrated whole blood |
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Influenza A virus RNA |
Same day |
Any upper / lower respiratory specimen |
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Influenza B virus RNA |
Same day |
Any upper / lower respiratory specimen |
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Legionella pneumophila (Research only) |
Same day |
Any upper / lower respiratory specimen |
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Leptospira genus DNA |
3 days |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood, urine |
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Lymphogranuloma venereum ***** |
4 days |
Male - first catch urine, genital swab, rectal swab, throat swab, rectal biopsy/tissue, lymph node tissue/biopsy. Female - genital swab, throat swab, rectal swab, rectal biopsy/tissue, lymph node tissue/biopsy |
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Listeria monocytogenes DNA |
Next day |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood - may be useful in suspected meningitis cases |
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Measles virus RNA |
Next day |
CSF, urine, saliva, mouth/throat swab, whole blood |
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Mumps IgG antibody (Tests schedule Wednesday) |
4 days |
Serum preferred or citrate plasma |
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Mumps virus RNA |
Next day |
CSF, urine, saliva, mouth/throat swab |
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Mycobacterium avium complex\TB complex DNA |
2 days |
Sputum, tissue, fixed tissue, CSF, BAL |
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Mycobacterium genus DNA |
4 days |
Sputum, tissue, fixed tissue, CSF, BAL |
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Mycobacterium TB rifampicin resistance |
3 days |
Sputum, tissue, fixed tissue, CSF, BAL |
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Mycoplasma genitalium DNA |
2 days |
Urine/genital swab |
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Mycoplasma genitalium macrolide resistance |
4 days |
Samples positive for Mycoplasma genitalium |
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Mycoplasma genus DNA |
4 days |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood, tissue culture |
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Mycoplasma pneumoniae DNA |
Next day |
EDTA whole blood and any respiratory specimen (sputum, BAL, NPA, nasopharyngeal swab etc), BAL and NPA preferred |
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Neisseria gonorrhoeae DNA **** If sending for confirmation in accordance with BASHH guidelines, please telephone the laboratory for further information. |
2 days |
Eye swab For genitourinary: Female: Endocervical, vaginal or rectal swab, ‘Thin prep’ endocervical cellular specimens. Male: Urethral swab, first pass urine, rectal swab |
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Neisseria meningitidis DNA |
Same day |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood (may be useful in suspected meningitis cases) |
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Neisseria meningitidis DNA typing |
2 days |
Performed routinely on positive Neisseria meningitidis samples |
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Parainfluenza 1,2,3 and 4 virus RNA |
Same day |
Any upper / lower respiratory specimen |
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Parechovirus RNA |
Next day |
CSF, swab, stool, tissue, serum, plasma, EDTA/citrated whole blood - may be useful in suspected meningitis cases |
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Parvovirus B19 DNA |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, amniotic fluid, serum/plasma, post-mortem samples (Foetal), CSF, bone marrow |
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Parvovirus B19 DNA quantitation |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, amniotic fluid, serum/plasma, CSF |
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Paternity Testing |
7 days |
Cheek swab |
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Pneumocystis jirovecii (aka carinii) DNA |
Next day |
Sputum, BAL, NPA preferred. |
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Polyoma BK virus DNA |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, urine, CSF |
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Polyoma BK virus DNA quantitation |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, urine, CSF |
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Polyoma JC virus DNA |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, urine, CSF |
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Polyoma JC virus DNA quantitation |
Next day |
EDTA/citrated whole blood, urine, CSF |
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Propionibacteria/Actinomyces DNA |
2 days |
Eye sample, tissue, CSF |
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa▲ |
Next day |
EDTA whole blood, corneal scrape, eye swab, contact lens or contact lens solution |
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Respiratory Syncytial Virus RNA |
Same day |
Any upper / lower respiratory specimen |
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Respiratory Virus Screen See ʘ above |
Next day |
Any upper / lower respiratory specimen |
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Extended respiratory screen. Respiratory screen detailed above with additional Coronavirus OC43, 229E, NL63 and HKU1 testing |
Any upper / lower respiratory specimen |
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Rhinovirus RNA |
Same day |
Any upper / lower respiratory specimen |
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Rhinovirus typing (Research only) |
3 days |
Any positive Rhinovirus respiratory specimen |
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Rubella virus RNA |
Next day |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood, throat swab, urine, amniotic fluid |
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Salmonella enterica (Research only) |
Next day |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood – may be useful in suspected meningitis cases, tissue, abscess fluid. |
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Staphylococcus genus DNA |
Next day |
CSF, aqueous/vitreous humour, tissue |
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Streptococcus pneumoniae DNA |
Same day |
Whole blood, CSF and pleural fluid |
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Toxoplasma gondii DNA |
Same day |
CSF, EDTA/citrated whole blood, amniotic fluid, aqueous/vitreous humours, tissue |
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Toxoplasma IgG antibody (Tests schedule Monday and Thursday) |
5 days |
Serum preferred or Li-heparin*, K3-EDTA or citrate plasma |
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Treponema pallidum DNA |
Next day |
CSF, genital swab |
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Trichomonas vaginalis DNA |
Next day |
Genital swab |
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Tropheryma whipplei DNA |
Next day |
CSF and almost any cellular material including whole blood. PLEASE DO NOT SEND SERUM. |
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Ureaplasma urealyticum/parvum DNA |
2 days |
Urine, genital swab, respiratory (neonates) |
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Varicella Zoster virus DNA ▲ |
Next day |
CSF, AC tap, EDTA/citrated whole blood, corneal scrape, vesicle fluid, skin/eye/vesicle/lesion swab, tissue (Biopsy and fixed included). Any respiratory specimen (sputum, BAL, NPA, nasopharyngeal swab etc), aqueous / vitreous humour. Genitourinary - For female: Endocervical or vulval lesions sample area with a swab and place into viral transport media (VTM). Male: Penile lesions - Penile swab placed into VTM Pregnancy – vulval/vaginal swab |
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West Nile Fever virus RNA |
Next day |
CSF, EDTA whole blood |
Key for test table
▲ Currently not UKAS accredited
♦ EDTA Plasma separated within 24 hours of initial collection of blood. Ship at ambient temperature for next day delivery.
* - Li Heparin/Na heparin has inhibitory effects in PCR. Please provide an alternative sample if molecular detection of viral / bacterial / fungal targets or human genetics tests are required.
** - For the Hepatitis B surface antibody assay, if plasma treated with lithium heparin, sodium citrate, sodium fluoride or potassium oxalate is used, values obtained are 25% lower compared with serum. Additionally, lithium heparin plasma tubes containing separating gel should not be used for this test.
*** - Serum and plasma may be tested but whole blood is preferred.
**** - Individual requests for Ct or Ng are always tested in combination with Ng or Ct respectively.
***** - All LGV requests are also tested for Ct and Ng.
****** - A paired maternal blood sample should be sent when testing infants <18 months old for HIV-1 proviral DNA / RNA.
ʘ- Respiratory panel comprising of Influenzae A and B, Respiratory syncytial virus A and B, Parainfluenza 1 – 4, Human metapneumovirus, Rhinovirus/Enterovirus, Adenovirus, Human Bocavirus. The extended respiratory screen is comprised of the aforementioned organisms with Coronavirus OC43, 229E, NL63 and HKU1 additional testing. Please note, Influenza A positives▲ can be differentiated between H1 and H3 subtypes. If required this can be reported. Differentiation of Rhinovirus/Enterovirus will incur an extra day TAT to facilitate additional testing.
Ψ Please note; when Measles RNA, Rubella RNA, Neisseria meningitidis DNA or Bordetella pertussis DNA are detected within a specimen, the sample will be forwarded to Public Health England to comply with their requirements.
Abbreviations used in test table
ACD – Acid citrate dextrose
BAL – Bronchioalveolar lavage
CPD – Citrate phosphate dextrose
CPDA – Citrate phosphate dextrose adenine
CP2D - Citrate phosphate double dextrose
CSF – Cerebrospinal fluid
EDTA - Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid