Skip to page content

Microbiology

Notes

  • The information given here is intended for use by healthcare professionals. Please see Lab Tests Online-UK for more general advice, links and background.
  • Adenovirus is detected by PCR.
  • Adenovirus may cause a variety of clinical manifestations including (but not exclusively) conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, pneumonitis, haemorrhagic cystitis and gastroenteritis
  • Also, rarely and usually in immunocompromised patients, CNS infection, myocarditis, hepatitis, tubulointerstitial nephritis and disseminated disease
  • Tested following specific request

Sample requirements

Viral eye swab

Viral throat swab

Check swab expiry date before use

(Date is in YYMMDD format)

Optimally a combined swab should be taken from the throat and nose, placing each swab into its transport tube following swabbing.

Viral swab



Nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA)

Trachea suction set




4ml of blood taken into an EDTA Tube

EDTA with cap

In selected circumstances:

stool sample - stool container with spoon

CSF - 30 mL sterile universal container

(a minimum CSF volume of 200 µl is required for reliable testing)

Required information

Relevant clinical details

Storage/transport

All samples should be transported to the laboratory as quickly as possible at ambient temperature.

If transport is delayed then store at fridge temperature. Swab samples will remain viable for up to 96 hours and other samples will remain viable for up to 72 hours.

Turnaround time

Depending on sample type, either tested locally  or referred to the Regional Reference Centre

Up to 10 days


Page last reviewed: 12/09/2017