Guide to suitable Specimens for Virological Investigations



Guide to Virological Tests
Respiratory Infection Congenital Syndromes
CNS (Central Nervous System) Infection Hepatitis
CVS (cardiovascular system) Infection Arthralgia/Myalgia
Rash Syndromes Lymphadenopathy Syndrome
Eye Infections Haemorrhagic Fevers
Gastroenteritis Rabies


Key to Abbreviations:
T/S Throat swab
T/W Throat washings
VTM Viral transport medium
Blood Clotted blood in plain tube, no preservative. Where required to detect a significant rise in titre, two blood specimens taken 10 to 14 days apart must be sent to thelaboratory.


Respiratory Infections
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
Influenza + - + -
Parainfluenza + - + -
Measles + - + -
Adenovirus + - + -
Respiratory syncytial virus + - + -
Other Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
HSV, VZV + - + -
CMV - - + T/W
EBV - - + -
Enteros + + + -

CNS Infections
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
Enteroviruses + + + CSF
HSV, Measles, Mumps + - + CSF
Arbovirus, HIV - - + CSF

CVS Infections
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
Coxsackie - + + -
Influenza + - + -

Rash syndromes
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
HSV, VZV + - + Vesicle fluid for Em or vesicle swab in VTM
Non-polio enteroviruses + + + -
Measles + - + -
Rubella, Arbovirus, EBV - - + -
HIV, Parvovirus - - + -

Eye Infections
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
Adenovirus, HSV - - + Conjunctival swab in VTM
Coxsackie A - + - -

Gastroenteritis
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
Rota, Adeno, Norwalk - + - -

Congenital Syndromes
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
Rubella, CMV - - + Urine
HSV - - + Vesicle swab in VTM
HIV, Parvovirus - - + -

Hepatitis
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
HAV, HBV, HCV, CMV, Arbovirus - - + -

Arthralfia/Myalgia
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
Coxsackie - + + -
Arbovirus, Rubella - - + -
Parvovirus - - + -

Lymphadenopathy Syndrome
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
CMV - - + Urine
EBV, HIV - - + -

Haemorrhagic Fevers
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
RVF, CCHF, Marburg, Lassa, Ebola, Hantaan - - + Contact lab

Rabies
Main Viruses Involved Throat Swab in VTM Stool Blood Other
Rabies - - + Repeated blood samples or autopsy brain material in glycerol-saline