Varicella-zoster virus
Methodology
RT-PCR
CPT Code
87798
Acceptable Specimens
Vesicle swab. Synthetic swabs only. Do not use cotton or wooden shafts. Place swab in a vial of 2-3 mls of viral transport media.
or
Vesicle "roof" or crust (scab) placed in a clean container.
Specimen Storage
Store specimens at 4ºC.
Specimen Transport
Transport specimen to the laboratory on cold packs as soon as possible.
Setup Days
Testing is performed on an as-needed basis.
Turn-around-time
Results will be available 1-2 days after receiving the specimen.
Lab Slip
Monster Form (PDF: 108 Kb)