Serological Examination – CDC Referral Testing

Laboratory Fee Schedule
Procedure: N/A
CPT: N/A


Synonym(s):	Antibody, Borrelia spp.,Colorado tick fever, Coxiella burnetii, Ehrlichia, Ehrlichiosis, Francisella tularensis, Human T-cell lymphotropic virus, HTLV-1, Leptospira spp., Leptospirosis, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis, Paragonimiasis, Plague, Q Fever, Serology, Syphilis, Tick, Tick-borne Fever, Treponema pallidum, Tularemia, Urethritis, Venereal Disease Research Laboratory, varicella zoster virus, VRDL, VZV, Weil’s disease, Yellow fever, Yersinia pestis
Requisition Form	G-2A
Test Description	See CDC Infectious Diseases Laboratory Test Directory http://www.cdc.gov/laboratory/specimen-submission/list.html
Pre-Approval Needed	Yes. Please contact your local or regional disease reporting contact (epidemiologist) for approval before submitting specimen. Reporting contacts by county available online at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/investigation/conditions/contacts/ CDC testing should be used for confirming test results.
Supplemental Information Required	Patient history, previous test results
Supplemental Form(s)	See CDC specimen submission form http://www.cdc.gov/laboratory/specimen-submission/form.html
Performed on Specimens from (sources)	Human
Sample/Specimen Type for Testing	Serum, CSF See CDC Infectious Diseases Laboratory Test Directory: Test Directory \| Submitting Specimens to CDC \| Infectious Diseases Laboratories \| CDC
Minimum Volume/Size Required	Depends on specimen type; see CDC Infectious Diseases Laboratory Test Directory or call the DSHS Laboratory for guidance.
Storage/Preservation Prior to Shipping	Depends on specimen type; call the DSHS Laboratory for guidance.
Transport Medium	Depends on specimen type; call the DSHS Laboratory for guidance.
Specimen Labeling	At least two patient identifiers required on specimen (e.g., patient full name, date of birth, or medical record number). Three patient identifiers are preferred. Patient identifiers on specimen label must exactly match identifiers on submission form (e.g., abbreviated name on label and full name on form is not acceptable.) Additional DSHS Laboratory specimen labeling guidelines available online here.
Shipping and Specimen Handling Requirements	Ship according to IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and/or CFR 49. Category B Biological Substance, UN3373 shipping requirements apply. Handle as infectious agent using universal precautions. Triple-contained in accordance with federal shipping regulations. Submitters are responsible for packaging and shipping specimens according to regulatory requirements. Laboratory does not supply collection kits or shipping materials. Additional DSHS Laboratory specimen shipping guidelines online here. Shipping temperature is dependent upon specimen type. Call Laboratory for additional guidance on handling/shipping
Method	Various
Turn-around Time	Various
Interferences/Limitations	Dependent upon test
Common Causes for Rejection	No specimen received Incorrect specimen collection or submission methods (e.g., does not have minimum number of patient identifiers) Incorrect storage/shipping conditions Expired reagents/media/collection container Discrepancies between submission form and specimen label Missing/incomplete/illegible submission form Does not meet CDC acceptance criteria
Additional Information	All specimen submissions to CDC should have approval by local or state health department unless participating in special studies or surveillance projects. Call the DSHS Serology Lab at 512-776-7657 or 512-776-2505 with questions about specimen collection and handling. Please ensure all required information is provided to complete the CDC specimen submission form. Ensure any relevant prior test results are provided with the submission.