Clinical Guidance

Infectious Disease Pathology Activity
For information on submitting samples to state health departments, please check with your respective state.
For information on submitting samples to the Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Arbovirus Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory, click here.

For WNV pathology and immunohistochemical study of CNS tissue specimens, CDC's Infectious Disease Pathology Activity at CDC would prefer at least one representative paraffin-imbedded block from each of the following locations: cortex, cerebellum, basal ganglia (caudate, thalamus, putamen, substantia nigra), pons, midbrain, and medulla labeled as to the location and side (right or left where pertinent).

Efforts should be made to obtain sections from cervical, thoracic, and lumbar portions of the spinal cord; however, if the complete spinal cord is not obtained, a paraffin-imbedded block/section from the higher cervical portion would be acceptable. If paraffin blocks cannot be sent, a coronal section of 10% formalin-fixed brain that includes cortex and basal nuclei, and representative formalin-fixed wet tissue sections from the cerebellum, pons, midbrain, medulla, and spinal cord could be used.

These specimens (paraffin-imbedded blocks or formalin-fixed wet tissue) should be sent at room temperature. Wet tissues should be sent in well-sealed containers with absorbent packaging material. In the package with either blocks or wet tissues, a letter with clinical information and an accounting of blocks from the specified areas should be included.

The tissues should be sent to:
Infectious Disease Pathology Activity
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (MS-G32)
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
Atlanta, GA 30333

If there are questions regarding specimen sampling please contact the Infectious Disease Pathology Activity at (404) 639-3889 where one of the pathologists will assist you.