PERTUSSIS / BORDETELLA SPECIES CULTURE
Laboratory: Microbial Reference
Test Description: Culture and identification of Bordetella species
Order Approval Required? No (Bordetella pertussis testing at DCLS is performed for surveillance and outbreak investigation purposes only)
Specimen Type:
- Nasopharyngeal swab (calcium alginate) in Regan Lowe transport media, collected within 4 weeks of symptom onset.
Collection Container:
- Calcium alginate swab
Collection Guidelines:
- For Collection Instructions, refer to:
Specimen Collection Instructions: Bordetella pertussis PCR and Bacterial Culture Testing at DCLS
- For additional information, refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Website:
- Add collection date and time to submission paperwork.
- Add symptom onset date to submission paperwork
DCLS approved submitters can request collection kits at DCLS_SSSKits@dgs.virginia.gov.
Storage Instructions:
- Store specimens at 2-8°C
- Specimens must be received within 72 hours of collection
Transportation Instructions:
- Transport: 2-8°C
- Specimens must be received within 72 hours of collection
Test Methodology:
- Organism identification by MALDI-TOF and conventional techniques
Causes for Rejection:
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Specimens collected on cotton swabs
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Specimen lacks two patient identifiers or mismatched samples and test request forms
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Media that has expired prior to inoculation
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Demonstration of improper collection and/or improper transport media, or exposure to temperature extremes.
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Broken/damaged/opened transport tubes
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Throat specimens, nares swabs, cough plates, and sputum are unacceptable specimens
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Regan Lowe transport tubes submitted without swabs
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Regan Lowe tubes with transport time exceeding 3 days from collection time
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True duplicate specimens (same collection date, source, and patient identifiers) may be rejected
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Specimen received out of the appropriate temperature range