Recommended Laboratory Investigation of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

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In addition to clinically indicated laboratory testing conducted at the local level, the following specimens should be collected for all patients meeting the probable case definition or for all suspect cases with close contacts* to probable cases:

1. Acute and convalescent blood for serology with at least 2 weeks between acute and convalescent samples
2. Red tube (10mL minimum)
3. Lavender tube - (7mL minimum) for amplification tests
4. Throat swab in viral transport media
5. Nasopharyngeal swab or aspirate in viral transport medium (2mL)
6. Stool for virology - fresh or in viral transport media (if diarrhea is present). Not in preservative.

AND WHERE POSSIBLE

7. Bronchial alveolar lavage or tracheal aspirate in a sterile container
8. IF a probable or suspect case had additional symptoms of meningitis**- CSF for virology - fresh specimen in CSF tube
9. All tissues from biopsy or autopsy - fresh and fixed: lung, liver, spleen, brain etc.

Laboratories should follow normal testing procedures and refer specimens where necessary to the appropriate reference laboratories.