Organism |
Testing method |
Specimen requirements |
Expected results turn-around |
Testing frequency |
| Arboviruses (EEE, WEE, SLE) |
Real-time PCR |
Specimens are received from the Arbovirus-Entomology Team |
14 days |
Weekly |
| B. pertussis |
Real-time PCR |
Submit as Rayon or Dacro non-bloody swab with aluminum or plastic handle, without transport media.
Specimens must be transported on wet ice or cold packs (not dry ice) and shipped within 48 hours of collection. Specimens must be received at the DSHS Laboraotry within 7 days of collection. |
Within 2 working days of specimen receipt. |
Daily M-F |
| E. coli |
Real-time PCR |
Specimens are received from the Clinical Bacteriology Team as a pure isolate on an agar slant. |
11 days |
Weekly |
| E. coli, Pseudomonas species, Neisseria meningitides strains, Ralstonia species, Acinetobacter species, Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA), Enterococcus species, Streptococcus species, Serratia species, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Listeria species |
PFGE |
Specimens are received from the Clinical Bacteriology Team as a pure isolate on an agar slant. |
14 days |
Daily M-F |
| Norovirus |
Real-time PCR |
Non-bloody and non-dried stool specimens are the only accepted sample types. An acceptable specimen should not contain any preservatives or transport media.
Submitters must send at least 200-400 µL of fresh stool in a dry container.
Stool samples are to be transported on wet ice or cold packs (not dry ice) and stored refrigerated until processed for RNA extractions. |
Within 2 working days of specimen receipt. |
Within 24 hours of specimen receipt. |
| Salmonella |
Serology and PFGE |
Send as a pure isolate on an agar slant. |
14 days |
Daily M-F |
| Shigella |
Serology and PFGE |
Send as a pure isolate on an agar slant. |
14 days |
Daily M-F |
| West Nile Virus |
Real-time PCR |
Specimens are received from the Arbovirus-Entomology Team |
14 days |
Weekly |