DAVID L. LAKEY, M.D.
COMMISSIONER |
1100 W. 49th Street • Austin, Texas 78756
P.O. Box 149347 • Austin, TX 78714-9347
1-888-963-7111 • http://www.dshs.state.tx.us
TDD: 1-800-735-2989
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October 1, 2007
Dear Submitter:
Re: Hepatitis and Rubella specimen acceptance/rejection criteria
Effective December 1st, 2007 the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Laboratory Services Section will be enforcing more stringent acceptance / rejection criteria for the Hepatitis and Rubella tests listed in the table below:
| Test |
Specimen Type |
Time from collection to arrival at the laboratory |
Temperature |
Shipping requirements |
Acute Hepatitis Panel
Hepatitis A (total Ab)
Hepatitis A IgM
Hepatitis B core (total Ab)
Hepatitis B core IgM
Hepatitis B eAb
Hepatitis B eAg
Hepatitis B surface Ab
Hepatitis B surface Ag
Rubella IgG Screen
|
Serum separated from the clot |
Up to 48 hours |
Cold,
2° to 8°C |
Ship on
cold packs |
| Serum separated from the clot |
Greater than 48 hours |
Frozen,
-20°C or lower |
Ship on
dry ice |
Any specimens that do not meet these criteria at the date of receipt in our laboratory will be considered unsatisfactory for testing and will be immediately discarded. Although not intended to disrupt vital public health services to our programs and citizens of Texas, these guidelines will ensure the quality of test results and compliance with manufacturers’ specimen acceptance criteria. General submission guidelines can be found on our website: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/lab/MRS_intro.shtm.
- Please distribute this letter to all staff responsible for submitting samples.
- Please do not ship specimens to the DSHS Laboratory on Friday or the day before a federally observed holiday.
Thank you for your ongoing provision of services to Texans. If we can be of any assistance to you in interpreting these guidelines, please contact Susan Hoffpauir at 1-888-963-7111 ext. 6030. Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Susan U. Neill, Ph. D., MBA
Laboratory Services Section
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