Laboratory Specimen Shipping and Packaging

1
Laboratory Specimen Shipping and Packaging

• This presentation is designed to provide
  assistance in shipping and packaging specimens
  sent to the Bureau of Laboratories for testing
  for swine-origin influenza A (H1N1).
• Please refer to the Guidance Document Enhanced
  Influenza Surveillance and Treatment for
  Hospitals and Clinicians to determine when it is
  appropriate to send patient specimens to the
  Bureau of Laboratories for swine-origin influenza
  A (H1N1) testing.

2
Specimen Collection
There are many types of viral swabs. Any of the
viral swabs will do just be sure the label
states it is for VIRAL collection. Do not use
Bacterial swabs!
Swabs for Nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal
collection
3
Shipping

• Wrap the tube of viral transport medium
  containing the swab in a paper towel and place in
  a zip-lock plastic bag.
• Place the swabs in a small
• styrofoam cooler with a frozen blue-ice or gel
  cold-pack.
• Add sufficient stuffing to prevent the items
  from shifting during transport.

4
Shipping Continued

• Put the lid on the cooler and place the
  paper-work/submittal sheets on top of the lid.
• Please completely fill out the requested patient
  information on the submission sheets. The
  laboratory specimen submission sheet may be
  downloaded from http//www.doh.state.fl.us/lab/PDF
  _Files/doh_form.pdf
• Be sure that the name, address and phone number
  of the person to whom the report is to be sent is
  clearly written.

5
Clinical Specimen Submission Form
Available on line at http//www.doh.state.fl.us/l
ab/PDF_Files/doh_form.pdf
6
Be sure to include date specimen was collected
Patient information must be filled in as
completely as possible and must be readable
7
Health Care Provider Information must be filled
in completely or there may be a delay in being
notified of the results
8
Select test for Influenza PCR
9
Do not forget date of onset, clinical symptoms
and travel history
Explain that this test order is to rule out Swine
Influenza and add other comments as appropriate
10
For County Health Departments Ordering Laboratory
Testing using HMS

• Electronic Lab Ordering (HMS)
• To expedite specimen accession and reporting
• Select test 9100 (Respiratory virus INF A/B
  RT-PCR) Do NOT select Respiratory virus culture
  
• Specimens MUST be accompanied by a manifest or
  HMS Laboratory Requisition.

11
Florida 64D-3

• Please remember that suspect cases must be
  reported to local county health department per
  Florida 64D-3. Refer to the testing algorithm for
  additional detail on which cases to report.
• Physicians, hospitals, and laboratories should
  coordinate with their local county health
  department when shipping specimens for testing.
  Specimens should only be sent to the Bureau of
  Laboratories for testing after the local County
  Health Department has been notified.

12
Shipping Specimens to the Lab

• Shipping Specimens to the Bureau of Laboratories
•  
• Specimens should be sent without delay to the
  nearest Bureau of Laboratories location, e.g.,
  Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami or Pensacola with a
  note indicating that this is a suspect 2009 INF A
  H1N1 flu. For questions on packaging and
  shipping, you may contact the laboratory directly
  as follows between 8 AM and 5 PM Monday thru
  Friday.
•          Jacksonville 904-791-1500
•          Tampa          813-974-8000
• Miami            305-324-2432
•          Pensacola     850-595-8895
•  
•     The after hours number is
•             1-866-FLA-LABS.  (1-866-352-5227)