| Specimen Requirements |
Nasopharyngeal swab
Gently rotate swab onto two (2) areas of glass slide, keeping cells intact. Air dry and acetone fix. Ciliated epithelial cells must be present to detect the viral antigen. Store at 4º - 8ºC. Transport at room temperature. Nasal pharyngeal swabs in viral transport media or aspirates in sterile containers are also acceptable.
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