| Test | Preferred specimen(s) | Hold time | Temperature |
| STI, Blood, Urine |
Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Trichomonas,
M. genitalium NAAT
| Urine in Aptima tube | 30 days | 2–30 °C (36–86 °F)
|
| Swab in Aptima tube | 60 days |
| Herpes virus NAAT | Swab in VTM | 7 days | 2–8 °C (36–46 °F)
|
| HIV screening or confirmatory testing | Unspun serum or plasma | 2 hours | 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
|
| Spun serum or plasma (spun 30 min to 2 h after collection | 7 days | 2–8 °C (36–46 °F)
|
Syphilis screen or confirmatory, blood (RPR, TPPA)
| Unspun serum or plasma
| 2 hours | 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
|
Spun serum or plasma
(spun 30 min to 2 h after collection)
| 5 days | 2–8 °C (36–46 °F)
|
| Syphilis screen, CSF | CSF | 5 days |
| Urine culture | Urine in a sterile container | 24 hours |
| Respiratory |
| Acid fast culture and smear | Specimens other than urine or blood | 7 days |
2–8 °C (36–46 °F) |
| Urine | 24 hours |
| MTB complex NAAT | Sputum, bronchial wash/aspirate | 72 hours |
| Quantiferon Plus | Blood in Quantiferon tubes | 16 hours | 17–25 °C (63–77 °F)
|
| Influenza virus NAAT | NP, throat, or nasal swab in VTM | 72 hours |
2–8 °C (36–46 °F) |
| Respiratory pathogen panel NAAT | NP swab in VTM |
| SARS-CoV-2 NAAT | NP, throat, or nasal swab in VTM |
| SC2/Flu/RSV NAAT | NP or nasal swab in VTM | 7 days |
| Gastrointestinal & Parasites |
| Norovirus NAAT | Stool in CB medium or sterile container | 4 days | 2–8 °C (36–46 °F)
|
| Gastrointestinal pathogen panel | Stool in CB medium |
2–25 °C (36–77 °F) |
| Stool culture | Stool in CB medium |
| Parasite blood smear | Blood in EDTA | 24 hours | 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
|
| Mycology & Rash |
| Mycology primary culture | Various including sputum, CSF, skin scrapings, body fluids, tissue
| Specimen dependent | Various, typically 2–8 °C (36–46 °F)
|
| Measles PCR | NP or throat swab in VTM | 72 hours | 2–8 °C (36–46 °F)
|
| Mumps PCR | Buccal swab in VTM |
| Measles, mumps PCR | Urine | 24 hours |
| Poxvirus PCR | Dry swab or swab in VTM | 7 days |
| Varicella-Zoster Virus NAAT | Swab in VTM |
| Other |
| Bacteriology primary culture | Various | 24 hours | Various, typically
4–25 °C (39–77 °F)
|
| Drinking water testing | 100 mL of water in Idexx bottle | 30 hours | 1–24 °C (34–75 °F)
|
County of San Luis Obispo