Table XIV-19.

Laboratory Diagnosis of Influenza A and B Virus

Diagnostic Procedures	Optimum Specimens	Transport Issues; Optimal Transport Time
Rapid antigen detection	Nasopharyngeal aspirate/washing, throat or nasopharnygeal swab, lower respiratory specimen	Sterile container or viral transport medium, RT, <2 h
Culture	Nasopharyngeal aspirate/washing, throat or nasopharyngeal swab, lower respiratory specimen	Sterile container or viral transport medium, RT or ideally on wet ice, <2 h
Serology	Serum	Clot tube, RT, <2 h
	Cerebrospinal fluid	Sterile tube, RT, <2 h
NAATa	Nasopharyngeal aspirate/washing, throat or nasopharyngeal swab, lower respiratory specimen	Sterile container or viral transport medium, RT, <2 h

Abbreviations: NAAT, nucleic acid amplification test; RT, room temperature.

^a Commercial products are available for rapid NAAT testing for respiratory viruses