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Epic Code LAB848 Measles PCR

Important Note

  • Patients should not be directed to a Corewell Health Laboratory or other healthcare facility for serum collection if patient is within 4 days after the onset of rash (with onset of rash considered to be Day 0). If Day 5 of rash or later, immunocompetent patients are no longer considered contagious.
  • For additional questions regarding exposure and isolation, instruct families to contact the communicable disease department of their local health department.

Test Name Alias

Measles virus | Measles | Rubeola

Interface Order Alias

Ordering Instructions

Corewell Health Providers: 

  • Please reach out to Infection Prevention (IP) via Perfect Serve to make them aware of the situation.
  • CHW Infection Prevention will contact the appropriate county.

 

Non-Corewell Health Facilities:

  • The provider’s office must coordinate with the county health department that the patient lives in to obtain permission to send measles testing.
  • Visit the following link for county health department contact information: Slide 1 (michigan.gov)
    • The county will coordinate with MDHHS for testing permission.

 

ORDERING CODES: 

Specimen Type

  • Preferred: Throat or Nasopharyngeal swab
  • Optional additional testing: Serum

Collection Instructions

Specimen: Throat or nasopharyngeal swab

Collection Tube: UTM with swab (viral transport media)

Comment: “Send to MDHHS. Measles PCR. Approval obtained (DATE)”.

Must include the MDHHS Laboratory Test Requisition Form: DCH-0583TEST_REQUEST.pdf (michigan.gov)

  • Complete one form for all testing that will be sent to MDHHS. Request “Measles PCR” on the blank or other line.

  • Send specimens going to MDHHS along with the completed MDHHS lab requisition form to Corewell Health Reference Laboratory West “ATTENTION REFERRALS”.

  • Please email the Corewell Health Referrals department to make them aware of any suspected measles specimens that will need to be shipped to MDHHS: shlabsendouts@corewellhealth.org

  • Transport Temperature: Refrigerated or On Ice

UNACCEPTABLE SPECIMENS: Swabs with calcium alginate, cotton tips, or wooden shafts, unlabeled, shipped at ambient temperature.

 

Additional/Optional Testing
If patient is within 4 days after the onset of rash (with onset of rash considered to be day 0), and facility is not equipped to collect serum, a throat swab or NP swab may be collected as the sole diagnostic test.  

1. Measles IgM Antibody Order (Mayo Clinic Laboratories)

2. Measles IgG Antibody (Corewell Health Laboratory)

Patients should not be directed to a Corewell Health Laboratory or other healthcare facility for serum collection if patient is within 4 days after the onset of rash (with onset of rash considered to be Day 0). If Day 5 of rash or later, immunocompetent patients are no longer considered contagious.

 

 

 

Performing Department Laboratory Location

  • PCR Swab Sendout referral to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
  • Serum IgM Sendout referral to Mayo Clinic Laboratories
  • Serum IgG Corewell Health Reference Laboratory West Chemistry

Methodology

  • PCR
  • Multiplex Flow Assay
  • Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA)

Reviewed Date

4/8/2024

Device Photo

Viral Transport Media (UTM) Kit with Regular Tip Swab for Throat collection [ITM-1186125]

Viral Transport Media (UTM) Kit with Mini-Tip Swab for NP collection [ITM-1140078]