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Department of Health Services

Public Health Regional Laboratory
County Of Sonoma › Health and Human Services › Health Services › Divisions › Public Health › Public Health Regional Laboratory › Testing Services › Influenza A and B with Subtyping
Public Health Regional Laboratory

Influenza A and B with Subtyping

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Ordering Information

Contact the laboratory at (707) 565-4711 for web portal ordering assistance.

The link to the web portal is https://socolabportal.sonomacounty.ca.gov/

Methodology

RT-PCR

CPT Code

87502 – diagnostic assay
87503 - subtype

Acceptable Specimens

  • Submit specimens in separate tubes of sterile viral transport media (VTM or UTM).
  • Separate anterior nares and oropharyngeal swabs, preferably in separate transport media vials. Although they may be combined in a single transport media vial if needed.
  • Nasopharyngeal swabs are acceptable, but to date (Dec 2024) have had a lower yield for positive test results in cases than oropharyngeal and anterior nares swabs.
  • Patients with conjunctivitis should also have conjunctival swab specimens collected. Conjunctival swabs MUST be paired with oropharyngeal and anterior nares swab specimens or a nasopharyngeal swab specimen, even if the person does not have respiratory symptoms. If conjunctivitis is present in both eyes, collect separate swabs from each eye and combine the swabs in a single transport media vial.
  • Use synthetic-tipped swabs only.
  • Each specimen must be labeled with the patient’s first and last names, patient’s date of birth, specimen date of collection, and specimen type.
  • Best collected within the first 24-72 hours of symptom onset, and no later than 5 days after symptom onset.
  • Specimen must be processed at the laboratory within 72h post collection.
  • Patients must meet Epidemiologic criteria AND either Clinical OR Public Health Response criteria for HPAI A(H5) subtyping.  Meeting the criteria is a mandatory CLIA requirement for HPAI A(H5) subtyping testing and reporting to clinician.

Current criteria (risk factors) are available at available at https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/hpai-interim-recommendations.html

Other Specimen Types:

Specimen types that are FDA-approved for use for the CDC’s Influenza Panel but are not yet verified by this laboratory include: nasal aspirate, nasal wash; and lower respiratory tract specimens (bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, bronchial wash, tracheal aspirate, sputum, and lung tissue) from human patients with signs and symptoms of respiratory infection and/or from viral culture.

Please call the lab for consultation and possible referral to CDPH or CDC for further testing if you would like to submit one of these other specimen types.

Specimen Rejection Criteria

  • Cotton or calcium alginate swabs
  • Swabs in Amies medium
  • Inadequately labeled specimens
  • Leaking specimens
  • Refrigerated specimen is older than 3 days post collection (acceptable if specimen was frozen).

Specimen Storage

Prior to transportation to laboratory, specimens should be stored refrigerated (2–8°C).

Specimen Transport

Transport specimens to the lab on cold packs. If specimen cannot be received by the lab within 3 days post collection, freeze at -70°C or below and ship on dry ice.

Setup Days

Testing is performed on an as-needed basis.

Turn-around-time

Results will be available 1-2 days upon arrival at the lab.