Miscellaneous Serology

• Brucella
• Leptospirosis
• Lyme disease
• Rickettsia:

  Murine typhus

  Q fever

  RMSF

• Tularemia
• Viruses:

  Hantavirus

  mumps

  Parvovirus B19

  Poliovirus

  Rubella

  Rubeola

  Varicella zoster

  West Nile Virus

1. The Virology/Immunology Request form must accompany all serum specimens and must be filled out completely, including dates of collection and onset of illness. Lower half of the form should be completed by the requesting physician and should include sufficient clinical and epidemiological data to justify the request.

2. Acute and convalescent sera must be submitted for most routine tests. Acute serum should be collected as soon after onset as possible, and the convalescent serum should be collected 10 days to 3 weeks after the first specimen. A four-fold increase in titer under these conditions would be diagnostic. Acute serum will be held for three weeks pending receipt of the convalescent serum. If no additional serum is received, a $5.00 fee may be assessed for the first serum to cover handling costs. Specimens requested by the Acute and Communicable Diseases Progam (ACDP) or "reportable" communicable diseases are fee exempt.

3. Single acute-phase specimens can provide meaningful results for brucella/tularemia agglutinations and the leptospira IHA tests. Acute specimens will be tested. A later convalescent serum will be requested for parallel testing. Date of onset must be provided.

4. Single convalescent serum collected three weeks or more after onset, will be accepted for rickettsia and Colorado Tick Fever antibody levels. Clinical history justifying the request must be provided, including an accurate date of onset. A second specimen collected two to three weeks later should be submitted for testing in parallel with the first specimen to determine any change in titer.

5. Single serums from newborns suspected of having a congenital infection will be accepted for rubella testing. Since the IgG titer detected in these tests may reflect maternal antibodies, not an acute infection, the mother's specimen should be submitted simultaneously so that concurrent parallel testing can be performed. Additionally, a second specimen on the baby four to six weeks after birth should be submitted for testing in parallel with the first to detect any change in titer or level of antibodies present in the screen.

OSPHL policy for referral of specimens to CDC

Submitters desiring to send specimens to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory (OSPHL) should refer to the OSPHL Guide to Services Quick Reference Section for detailed instructions regarding tests performed at the OSPHL or at the CDC, specimen requirements, request forms, and shipping. No fees are assessed for specimens referred to other facilities by the OSPHL and not tested by the OSPHL.