Summary
Supplement F: Laboratory Guidance
Public Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness and Response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Version 2/3
Goals
- Provide the public health community with ready access to high-quality SARS-CoV diagnostics.
- Ensure that SARS-CoV laboratory diagnostics are used safely and appropriately and that results are interpreted appropriately.
Key concepts
- Efficient SARS-CoV diagnostic assays have been developed, but they frequently do not provide a definitive diagnosis early in illness.
- Although the sensitivity of current assays probably cannot be improved significantly, changes in the type, quality, and processing of specimens may improve the ability to detect SARS-CoV infection in patients.
- The majority of SARS-like illnesses will be caused by other respiratory pathogens; rapid and accurate diagnosis of these infections will make it easier to manage community anxiety about SARS-like illnesses.
- The possibility of false-positive and false-negative results with both PCR and serologic assays should always be considered when interpreting results; clear strategies to minimize such possibilities and to confirm test results are essential.
Priority activities
- Improve the ability to detect SARS-CoV infection by optimizing the selection and timing of specimen collection and processing.
- Provide SARS-CoV assays for RT-PCR testing to Laboratory Response Network (LRN) laboratories and for serologic testing to state public health laboratories.
- Distribute proficiency panels and questionnaires to participating laboratories to determine the ability of laboratories to provide valid SARS-CoV diagnostics.
- Provide guidance on laboratory safety for SARS-CoV and other respiratory diagnostic testing and for possible SARS-CoV-containing specimens submitted for other tests.
- Provide guidance for interpreting test results, taking into account the potential for false-positive and false-negative results and the availability of applicable clinical and epidemiologic information.
- Identify surge capacity for laboratory testing in the event of a large SARS outbreak.
Related Pages
- Summary
- I. Rationale and Goals
- II. Lessons Learned
- III. Diagnostic Assays
- IV. CDC’s Laboratory Diagnostics Plan
- Appendix F1: Proficiency Testing for Public Health Laboratories Performing SARS-CoV EIA and RT-PCR Diagnostics
- Appendix F2: SARS-CoV Specimen Testing Guidelines: RT-PCR and Serology
- Appendix F3: Guidelines for Clinicians: The Consent Process for SARS-CoV RT-PCR and EIA Testing at CDC and Public Health Laboratories
- Appendix F4: Guidelines for Collecting Specimens from Potential SARS Patients
- Appendix F5: Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines for Handling and Processing Specimens Associated with SARS-CoV
- Appendix F6: Guidelines for Medical Surveillance of Laboratory Personnel Working with SARS-CoV
- Appendix F7: Fact Sheet for Clinicians: Interpreting SARS-CoV Test Results from CDC and Other Public Health Laboratories
- Appendix F8: Guidelines for Laboratory Diagnosis of SARS-CoV Infection
Images and logos on this website which are trademarked/copyrighted or used with permission of the trademark/copyright or logo holder are not in the public domain. These images and logos have been licensed for or used with permission in the materials provided on this website. The materials in the form presented on this website may be used without seeking further permission. Any other use of trademarked/copyrighted images or logos requires permission from the trademark/copyright holder...more
This graphic notice means that you are leaving an HHS Web site. For more information, please see the Exit Notification and Disclaimer policy.
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348
8am-8pm ET/Monday-Friday
Closed Holidays - cdcinfo@cdc.gov