1 g fresh tissue (spleen, liver, lung, lymph nodes
Sampling Requirements
Blood in heparin (green top) tube cannot be used for this test. Ensure thorough mixing of blood in EDTA (e.g. invert tube several times immediately following collection) to prevent clotting. Clotted blood is not suitable for testing. Moist swabs are preferred; it its recommended to add 1-2 drops of sterile saline to the swab and place in a sterile, leak-proof container (e.g. red top tube). Bacterial culture swabs submitted in bacterial culture media (gel, charcoal, etc.) are not suitable for PCR testing. Fresh samples provide the most accurate results.
