Preferred Specimen(s) 2 mL plasma collected in a (lavender-top) EDTA tube
Instructions Separate plasma from the cells by centrifugation within six hours of collection, and transfer the plasma to a separate plastic screw-cap vial. Ship frozen.
Transport Container Plastic screw-cap vial
Transport Temperature
- Refrigerated 5 days,
- Frozen 35 days
Reject Criteria
- Received thawed
- Serum
- Heparinized plasma
- Frozen PPT (white-top) tubes
Methodology Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
Clinical Significance: Useful in the monitoring therapy and disease progression. The reportable range is 20 to 221*107 copies/mL.