Clinical Specimen Submission Guidance: Department of Health

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
CLIA Certificate of Compliance for High Complexity Clinical Laboratory
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Rhode Island Department of Health - In-State Clinical Laboratory License

Clinical Specimen Submission Guidance

Submit all specimens to 50 Orms St, Providence RI 02904. Open Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Arbovirus
Lab	Special Pathogens & Biothreats Laboratory 401-222-5586
Pathogen	Powassan Virus
Disease	Powassan
Test Description	Arboviral Encephalitis request that is sent to CDC for testing.
Special Instructions	Consult with the RIDOH Center for Acute Infectious Disease Epidemiology (401) 222-2577 for approval prior to transporting specimens.
Specimen	0.5 mL of serum and/or 0.5 mL of CSF is required for serology testing. Specimen must be kept cold at 2° - 8° C or frozen at <-20° C. Acute 3 to 10 days after onset of symptoms Convalescent 2-3 weeks after acute sample CLIA regulations require two patient identifiers on the specimen container and the test requisition.
Form Required	Rhode Island State Health Laboratories (RISHL) test requisition form https://health.ri.gov/forms/LabRequisitionForm.pdf
Test Request	Write "Arbovirus Powassan" testing under Comments/Other test requests.
Transport	Transport specimens within 48 hours of collection Specimens must be transported on wet ice or equivalent cooling material and packaged in accordance with current federal shipping regulations. Containers specifically labeled for transport of specimens to the RISHL STI & Arbovirus Laboratory are available in all Serology Laboratories and Laboratory Sendout Departments.
Integrity	Non-hemolyzed
Normal Value	Negative
Reporting Requirement	Providers must report patient information on Powassan immediately using the RIDOH reportable disease form.
Turnaround Time	CDC turnaround time is 4 weeks

Arbovirus

Lab

Special Pathogens & Biothreats Laboratory 401-222-5586

Pathogen

Powassan Virus

Disease

Powassan

Test Description

Arboviral Encephalitis request that is sent to CDC for testing.

Special Instructions

Consult with the RIDOH Center for Acute Infectious Disease Epidemiology (401) 222-2577 for approval prior to transporting specimens.

Specimen

0.5 mL of serum and/or 0.5 mL of CSF is required for serology testing. Specimen must be kept cold at 2° - 8° C or frozen at <-20° C.

Acute 3 to 10 days after onset of symptoms

Convalescent 2-3 weeks after acute sample

CLIA regulations require two patient identifiers on the specimen container and the test requisition.

Form Required

Rhode Island State Health Laboratories (RISHL) test requisition form https://health.ri.gov/forms/LabRequisitionForm.pdf

Test Request

Write "Arbovirus Powassan" testing under Comments/Other test requests.

Transport

Transport specimens within 48 hours of collection

Specimens must be transported on wet ice or equivalent cooling material and packaged in accordance with current federal shipping regulations.

Containers specifically labeled for transport of specimens to the RISHL STI & Arbovirus Laboratory are available in all Serology Laboratories and Laboratory Sendout Departments.

Integrity

Non-hemolyzed

Normal Value

Negative

Reporting Requirement

Providers must report patient information on Powassan immediately using the RIDOH reportable disease form.

Turnaround Time

CDC turnaround time is 4 weeks

Arbovirus
Lab	STI & Arbovirus Laboratory 401-222-5591
Pathogen	West Nile Virus
Disease	West Nile Virus
Test Description	An enzyme-linked immunosorbent capture assay to detect IgM antibodies to West Nile Virus. All other requests for arbovirus testing are sent to CDC.
Special Instructions	Consult with the RIDOH Center for Acute Infectious Disease Epidemiology (401) 222-2577 for approval prior to transporting specimens.
Specimen	Serum: minimum 5 mL collected in red top tube Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): minimum 2 mL collected aseptically. Acute serum and CSF should be collected within the first 14 days following onset of symptoms. Refrigerate at 2° - 8° C Virus isolation and/or nucleic amplification testing, acceptable specimens are fresh frozen tissue, serum, or cerebrospinal fluid. Tissue specimens should be approximately 1 x 3 cm, frozen as soon as possible at -70° C CLIA regulations require two patient identifiers on the specimen container and the test requisition.
Form Required	Rhode Island State Health Laboratories (RISHL) Test Requisition https://health.ri.gov/forms/LabRequisitionForm.pdf
Test Request	Write "WNV" under Comments/Other test requests
Transport	Transport specimens within 48 hours of collection. Specimens must be transported on wet ice or equivalent cooling material and packaged in accordance with current federal shipping regulations. Containers specifically labeled for transport of specimens to the RISHL STI & Arbovirus Laboratory are available in all Serology Laboratories and Laboratory Sendout Departments.
Integrity	Non-Hemolyzed
Normal Value	Negative
Reporting Requirement	Providers must report patient information on West Nile Virus immediately using the RIDOH reportable disease form.
Turnaround Time	WNV: 5 Business Days Confirmation testing performed at CDC

Arbovirus

Lab

STI & Arbovirus Laboratory 401-222-5591

Pathogen

West Nile Virus

Disease

West Nile Virus

Test Description

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent capture assay to detect IgM antibodies to West Nile Virus.

All other requests for arbovirus testing are sent to CDC.

Special Instructions

Consult with the RIDOH Center for Acute Infectious Disease Epidemiology (401) 222-2577 for approval prior to transporting specimens.

Specimen

Serum: minimum 5 mL collected in red top tube

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): minimum 2 mL collected aseptically.

Acute serum and CSF should be collected within the first 14 days following onset of symptoms.

Refrigerate at 2° - 8° C

Virus isolation and/or nucleic amplification testing, acceptable specimens are fresh frozen tissue, serum, or cerebrospinal fluid. Tissue specimens should be approximately 1 x 3 cm, frozen as soon as possible at -70° C

CLIA regulations require two patient identifiers on the specimen container and the test requisition.

Form Required

Rhode Island State Health Laboratories (RISHL) Test Requisition https://health.ri.gov/forms/LabRequisitionForm.pdf

Test Request

Write "WNV" under Comments/Other test requests

Transport

Transport specimens within 48 hours of collection.

Specimens must be transported on wet ice or equivalent cooling material and packaged in accordance with current federal shipping regulations.

Containers specifically labeled for transport of specimens to the RISHL STI & Arbovirus Laboratory are available in all Serology Laboratories and Laboratory Sendout Departments.

Integrity

Non-Hemolyzed

Normal Value

Negative

Reporting Requirement

Providers must report patient information on West Nile Virus immediately using the RIDOH reportable disease form.

Turnaround Time

WNV: 5 Business Days

Confirmation testing performed at CDC