Table 1.
Preanalytical Recommendations for Molecular Analysis
| Specimen type | Target | Temperature | Duration | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole blood | DNA | RT | up to 24h | (46) |
| 2-8°C | up to 72h optimal, but possible up to 6 days | (46) (70) |
||
| Whole blood | DNA (HBV) | RT | 4-6h | (89) |
| RNA (HIV, HCV) | 4°C | 72h | (95) | |
| Serum | DNA | RT | 24h | (89) |
| DNA (CMV) | RT | less than one day | (80) | |
| DNA (CMV) | 4°C | 2 days | (81) | |
| DNA (HBV) | RT | 24h | (89) | |
| DNA (HBV) | 4°C | 7 days | (89) | |
| Plasma | DNA | RT | 24h | (84) |
| 2-8°C | 5 days | (46,77) | ||
| -20 °C | longer than 5 days | (46,77) | ||
| -80°C | 9 to 41 months | (82) | ||
| Plasma | RNA | 4°C | up to 24h | (84) |
| Plasma | DNA (HBV) | RT | 24 h,28 days | (89,94) |
| 4°C | 7 days, 28 days | (89,94) | ||
| Plasma | RNA (HIV, HCV) | 4–8°C | 1 week | (88) |
| HIV | RT | 30h | (90) | |
| HIV | RT | 7 days | (91) | |
| HIV | 5°C | 14 days | (89) | |
| HCV | RT | 72h | (92) | |
| HCV | 25°C | 14 days | (93) | |
| HCV | RT | 3 months | (94) | |
| Dried blood spot | RNA | RT | up to 3 months | (131,132) |
| 4°C | up to 1 year | (133) | ||
| -20°C | up to 4 years | (133) | ||
| Stool | DNA | RT | 4h | (137,138) |
| 4°C | 24-48h | (134,136) | ||
| -20°C | few weeks | (141,145) | ||
| -80°C | 2 years | (141,145) | ||
| Nasopharyngeal swabs (in VTM) | Respiratory viruses | 4°C | 3-4 days | (166) |
| -70°C | more than 3-4 days | (166) | ||
| Cervical swab | DNA | 2–8°C | 10 days | (46) |
| DNA (Neisseria gonorrhea, Chlamydia trachomatis) | 2- 8°C | up to 7 days | (176) | |
| DNA (HPV) | RT | 1 month | (177) | |
| DNA (Hemophilus ducreyi, Klebsiella granulomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Treponema Pallidum, Trichomonas vaginalis) |
RT | 1 day | (89) | |
| 4°C | 4 days | |||
| Amniotic fluid | DNA | 2-8°C | 24h | (46) |
Abbreviations: CMV: cytomegalovirus, HBV: hepatitis B virus, HCV: hepatitis C virus, HIV: human immunodeficiency virus, RT: room temperature, VTM: viral transport medium