General Instructions

Specimen Types and Requirements

• PCR Specimen Requirement Table

Shipment

Send specimens for PCR testing to this address:

Dr. Jack S. Remington Laboratory for Specialty Diagnostics
Attention: PCR
795 El Camino Real, Ames Building
Palo Alto, CA 94301

Ship samples for PCR testing separately from other samples. All samples received for PCR testing will be prepared for testing, and will not be suitable for return.

A serum specimen for Toxoplasma serologic testing must accompany Toxoplasma PCR test requests for any patient not recently tested in our laboratory. The minimum request for Toxoplasma serologic testing must include IgG and IgM. There is an additional charge for testing this serum.

Amniotic Fluid

It is recommended that amniocentesis for toxoplasmosis PCR be performed at a minimum of 18 weeks gestation. A serum sample from the mother must accompany the amniotic fluid, unless she has been previously tested in our laboratory.

Specimen

DNA for our PCR procedure is obtained from pelleted amniotic fluid.

Volume

10 ml

Shipment

Ship amniotic fluid on wet ice or cold packs sufficient to maintain temperature of 2 - 8° C. during shipment; frozen acceptable. Include enough dry ice to keep specimen frozen during shipment.

Cerebrospinal, Vitreous or Aqueous Fluid

Specimen

A serum sample from the patient must accompany the fluid, unless serum has been recently tested in our laboratory.

Volume

1 ml

Shipment

Freeze sample immediately after collection. Ship sample on dry ice by overnight courier. Include enough dry ice to keep specimen frozen during shipment.

Covid PCR

Specimen

Nasal swab, oropharyngeal swab, or nasopharyngeal swab

Volume

Swab in transport media (viral transport media preferred)

Shipment

Ship nasal swab, oropharyngeal swab, and nasopharyngeal swab ambient or with cold packs sufficient to maintain temperature of 2 – 8°C during shipment.