Florida Bureau of Public Health laboratories
Dengue
BPHL has internally validated (LDT) a qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) dengue typing test utilizing the CDC protocol to detect dengue virus.
Analyte(s)
Ehrlichia virus
Test Code
1710
Testing Location
Testing Department
Virology
Pre-approval Required?
Yes.
Requires prior approval from regional epidemiology and notification to the testing lab. Contact the local county health department (CHD) to start the process for approval.
Required Forms
BPHL Test Requisition, DH1847
Include all required fields, who authorized the testing, bite history, onset date, collection date, travel history, and symptoms.
Turn around Time
5-10 business days after receipt at the laboratory.
Unsatisfactory specimen
1. Quantity not sufficient (QNS)
2. Specimen was not labeled with at least 2 unique patient identifiers
3. Information on specimen does not match requisition/test order
4. Specimen leaked in transit
5. Specimen was received out of the acceptable temperature range
Minimum Volume
1 mL of serum for each tube
Collection Media
Serum: red or tiger top serum separator (SST)
Specimen Sources
Paired Sera* collected at least 3 weeks apart, or
Single convalescent serum
Specimen Labeling
Specimen must be labeled with at least two unique patient identifiers, e.g., name and DOB, and the date of collection.
Information on the specimen must match the requisition and/or test order.
Special SPecimen Preparation
The first sample should be taken within the first 2 weeks of illness and the second should be taken 2-4 weeks later.
*Paired Sera Collection:
1. First specimen (acute) collected in red top tube 1-3 days after onset of illness. Separate serum and store refrigerated at 2-8° C until second specimen is collected.
2. Second specimen (convalescent) collected in red top tube 21-28 days after first specimen.
3. Ship sera together overnight
Storage Conditions
Refrigerate specimens at 2-8° C after collection up to 3 weeks; after 3 weeks freeze at – ≤20° C.
Packaging and Shipping
Specimens must be shipped overnight at 2-8° C, or frozen on dry ice at less than or equal to -20° C. If you store the sample frozen, it must be shipped frozen to avoid a freeze thaw cycle.
You must select “Saturday delivery” on packages shipped on Friday.
Couriered samples must be transported in a cooler with frozen ice packs to arrive at the laboratory between 2-8° C. Laboratory staff will check the temperature of the cooler upon arrival before accepting specimens.
Interferences and Limitations
Negative results do not preclude dengue virus infection and should not be used as the sole basis for treatment or other patient management decisions. A negative specimen collected between days 3-7 after onset of the febrile illness should be retested with an anti-DENV IgM test to increase likelihood of making the diagnosis of dengue.
A false negative result may occur if a specimen is improperly collected, transported, or handled. False negative results may also occur if amplification inhibitors are present in the specimen or if inadequate numbers of organisms are present in the specimen.
The performance of this test has not been established for monitoring treatment of dengue.
Detection of viral RNA may not indicate the presence of infectious virus or that dengue is the causative agent for clinical symptoms.
Assay performance characteristics have not been established for prenatal screening, or for general population screening without symptoms consistent with dengue fever. The test is not U.S. FDA cleared to the screening of blood or plasma donors.
Reference Range
No antibodies detected
Result Indicator
Titer and interpretation
No antibodies detected
Reference lab
CDC, if needed
Reflex testing
None