West Nile Virus IgG, Serum
Test Mnemonic
WESTG
CPT Codes
- 86789 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
38997-3
Includes
- West Nile Virus IgG
Performing Laboratory
ARUP
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | Serum | SST (Gold) | Refrigerated | Separate serum from cells ASAP or within 2 hours of collection and transfer to standard aliquot tube. Parallel testing is preferred and convalescent specimens MUST be received within 30 days from receipt of the acute specimens. Label specimens plainly as 'acute' or 'convalescent.' |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.15 mL |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | After separation from cells: 48 hours |
| Refrigerated | After separation from cells: 2 weeks |
| Frozen | After separation from cells: 1 year (avoid repeated freeze/thaw cycles) |
Days Performed
Sun, Tues, Fri
Turnaround Time
2 - 7 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Semi Quantitative Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay |
Special Info
Parallel testing is preferred and convalescent specimens must be received within 30 days from receipt of the acute specimens. Mark specimen plainly as "acute" or "convalescent." Contaminated, heat-inactivated, hemolyzed, icteric, lipemic, or turbid specimens will be rejected. This test is New York DOH approved.
Clinical Info
This test is intended to be used as a semi-quantitative means of detecting West Nile virus-specific IgG in serum specimens in which there is a clinical suspicion of West Nile virus infection. This test should not be used solely for quantitative purpose, nor should the results be used without correlation to clinical history or other data. Because other members of the Flaviviridae family, such as St. Louis encephalitis virus, show extensive cross-reactivity with West Nile virus, serologic testing specific for these species should be considered. Seroconversion between acute and convalescent sera is considered strong evidence of current or recent infection. The best evidence for infection is a significant change on two appropriately timed specimens, where both tests are done in the same laboratory at the same time.