Specimen:

Plasma

Collection Medium:

Alternate
Collection Media:

Lavender top tube (EDTA), White top plasma preparation tube (PPT, EDTA)

Minimum:

3 mL plasma or 6 mL whole blood.  if also testing for HIV viral load, 
collect a second Pink top tube (3 mL plasma or 6 ml whole blood).  Both 
the genotyping and the quantitative assay can be performed from this 
2.0 mL.  Sample tube must remain sterile.  HCV molecular testing cannot 
be added onto a previously opened vacutainer tube.  Testing requires a 
dedicated collection tube.

Delivery Instructions:

Deliver to laboratory immediately after collection.

Specimen
Instructions:

Record draw time.

All collection tubes need to be processed within six hours of 
collection.  If specimens cannot reach the Microbiology laboratory at 
UIHC with the six hours, process as follows:

Pink or lavender top tubes:
Centrifuge for 20 minutes at 800-1600 x g.  Aseptically enter the tube 
and aliquot into sterile RNase free tubes.  Transport to the laboratory 
on ice with 24 hours.

White top tube:
Centrifuge for 10 minutes at 800-1600 x g.  Do not pour off plasma, 
maintain sterility and transport to the laboratory on ice within 24 
hours.

Testing Schedule:

Once per week

Analytic Time:

1 week

Methodology:

Homogeneous Polymerase Chain Reaction (real time PCR)

CPT Code:

87902

See Additional Information:
Specimens Requiring Immediate Delivery