Fluid in one 5 mL red top tube or other sterile container.
Handling:
Label container with source of fluid. Refrigerate. Transport in original container. If specimen cannot be assayed within 24 hours, immediately centrifuge, remove any cellular material, and freeze.
Stability:
24 hours refrigerated, 1 year frozen.
Standard Volume:
2 mL fluid.
Minimum Volume:
0.5 mL fluid.
Transport:
Refrigerated, or frozen on dry ice.
Rejection Criteria:
Plasma; gross hemolysis or gross lipemia; specimen frozen and thawed more than once; refrigerated specimen received in laboratory more than 24 hours after collection.