One 5 mL whole blood or plasma collected in a lavender (EDTA) top tube.

Also acceptable: yellow top (ACD) tube, plasma preparation tube (PPT), plain red, gold (SST) top tube, or 1 mL CSF or amniotic fluid collected in a sterile leak-proof container.

Transfer 1 mL whole blood or plasma (Min: 0.5 mL).

* Collection Instructions *

Whole blood:

• Collect whole blood in sterile tubes containing EDTA or ACD as anticoagulant.
• Store refrigerated.
• Blood collected in tubes containing ACD anticoagulant will yield results approximately 15% lower when compared to EDTA tubes due to a dilution effect.
• Do not freeze whole blood.

Plasma:

• Collect blood in sterile tubes containing EDTA or ACD as anticoagulant or in plasma preparation tubes (PPTs).
• Store collected whole blood ambient and separate plasma from cells within 2 hours of collection.
• Transfer plasma to sterile plastic screw-cap tubes and store refrigerated or frozen.
• If blood is collected in a PPT tube, centrifuge within 2 hours of collection and store refrigerated or frozen.
• It is not necessary to transfer the plasma from a PPT tube to aliquot tubes.
• Blood collected in tubes containing ACD anticoagulant will yield results approximately 15% lower when compared to EDTA tubes due to a dilution effect.

Serum:

• Collect in a red top tube (no gel) or gold (SST) top tube.

CSF or amniotic fluid:

• Collect in sterile container and store refrigerated or frozen.

Whole blood

Ambient: 48 hours

Refrigerated: 8 days

Frozen: Unacceptable

All other sample types

Ambient: 48 hours

Refrigerated: 8 days

Frozen: 30 days

• Heparinzied specimens
• Unspun PPT tubes