Florida Bureau of Public Health laboratories
Mumps virus (MuV), PCR
BPHL has internally validated (LDT) a qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the presence of mumps.
Analyte(s)
Rubella virus
Test Code
1688
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, onset date, collection date, travel history, and symptoms.
Turn around Time
1 – 5 business days after receipt at the laboratory.
Minimum Volume
.3 mL but 1 mL is preferred
Unsatisfactory specimen
1. Swabs with calcium alginate or cotton tips or with wooden shafts.
2. Quantity not sufficient (QNS)
3. Specimen was not labeled with at least 2 unique patient identifiers
4. Information on specimen does not match requisition/test order
5. Specimen leaked in transit
6. Specimen was received out of the acceptable temperature range
Collection Media
Buccal Swab: Dacron swab viral transport media (VTM) or universal transport media (UTM)
Urine: Sterile cup
Specimen Sources
Buccal Swab
Urine
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
Specimens should be collected as soon as mumps disease is suspected, preferably within 3 days following symptom onset.
The buccal swabs specimens are obtained by massaging the parotid gland area for 30 seconds prior to swabbing the area around Stensen’s duct.
Storage Conditions
Store specimens at 2-8° C or frozen at less than or equal to -20° C until shipment. Ship within 4 days of collection.
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
Specimen warming or freeze thawing reduces sensitivity. A negative result should not be used to rule out mumps infection as many variables can affect specimen quality. Positive results should be interpreted in conjunction with signs, symptoms, and recent MMR vaccine history due to the potential detection of the vaccine strain in clinical specimens. This assay may not be able to detect nucleic acid from some wild-type strains.
Swabs with calcium alginate or cotton tips or with wooden shafts, can result in inactivation of some viruses and inhibit some molecular assays.
Reference Range
No virus detected
Result Indicator
Mumps virus detected
No virus detected
Reference lab
CDC, if needed
Reflex testing
None