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Specimen Submissions for Genetic Sequencing 

Pre-approval to submit a specimen to the Laboratory for sequencing is not required but notifying your local or regional epidemiologist before submitting a specimen is helpful for surveillance purposes.

In certain cases, you are required to notify your local or regional health department before submitting a specimen to the Lab for sequencing. Please submit any norovirus, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, and human monkeypox virus (hMPXV), specimens that are requested by a DSHS epidemiologist. Whole Genome Sequencing is commonly an internal reflex assay carried out on clinical specimens and isolates submitted for notifiable and surveillance purposes.

• Refer to the LTSM test directory for storage and shipping requirements for the isolate or extracts of interest. (e.g., Enterobacterales, Escherichia coli, Listeria spp., Neisseria spp., Pseudomonas sp., Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Vibrio spp., fungi, or viral extracts).  
  • Note that food and environmental specimens are accepted from registered food sanitarians only.
• Refer to the DSHS’ LTSM test menu for test-specific guidance on specimen types, required volumes, and shipping temperatures.
• Refer to the DSHS’ online Specimen Collection and Submission Guidance and Specimen Shipping and Mailing Guidance content for additional guidance on submitting clinical specimens to the Laboratory.
• For information specific to submitting known or suspected antimicrobial resistant specimens to the Antimicrobial Resistance Lab Network (ARLN) for WGS, visit the ARLN information on WGS webpage.
• Refer to the DSHS Laboratory specimen submission job aids webpage for quick, printable guidance on submitting specimens that a DSHS epidemiologist may request.

Required Specimen Submission Forms for Sequencing

The type of submission form required depends on the specimen being submitted:

A G-2B Form is required for all bacterial specimens, except for

• G-2E Form required for Carbapenem-Resistant Organisms, and  
• G-MYCO Form required for Mycobacterium tuberculosis specimens.

G-2E Form: required for all Candida auris specimens, and

• G-MYCO Form required for all other mycological specimens.

G-2V or Line List is required, depending on virus type.

Refer to the test page for the organism of interest, found here to identify the required submission form for each submission.
Submitters must ensure they are using the correct submission form. Specimens submitted with incomplete, illegible, or wrong submission forms cannot be processed. Providing a completed and correct specimen submission form with each specimen is critical to successful testing.

• If filling out submission forms by hand, please use BLOCK lettering.
• To maximize legibility and minimize transcription errors, avoid using cursive script when completing the form by hand.
• Refer to DSHS LTSM specimen collection guidance pages found here for more details on the required information on submission forms.

Shipping Genomic Sequencing Specimens to the DSHS Laboratory

To minimize exposing mail handlers and carriers to infectious substances, specimens must be tripled-contained for shipping to the Laboratory. Depending on the isolate type, shipping as a Category B Biological Substance, UN3373 or Category A Biological Substance is required.

• As a submitter, you are legally responsible for the proper training of your facility personnel in handling, labeling, and shipping of infectious substances.

Additional information on shipping infectious substances to the DSHS Austin Laboratory may be found in the Laboratory’s general specimen shipping and mailing guidance pages.

Before shipping specimens to the Laboratory, make sure you have:

• labeled the specimen with the required patient identifiers (two minimum, three are preferred),
• secured the lid of the specimen container to prevent leaks,
• completed the correct specimen submission form or line list for the specimen,
• provided the date of collection on the submission form,
• selected the test being requested on the submission form,
• attached a copy of previous lab results, if available,
• packed the specimen correctly according to infectious substances shipping requirements,
• affixed all required shipping labels to the outer mailer, and
• packed frozen cold packs with specimens that must be stored and shipped cold.

Questions about Genomic Sequencing Submissions?

For questions about submitting specimens for genomic sequencing, call the Genomic Sequencing Branch at 512-458-7582 or email WGS.DSHS@dshs.texas.gov.