Special Communication

Temporarily Unavailable: Stool Gastrointestinal Panel by PCR

Beginning November 13, 2020, Stool Gastrointestinal Panel by PCR (STGIPR) testing is temporarily unavailable to order from CCL.

Cleveland Clinic Laboratories is experiencing severe supply constraints for Stool Gastrointestinal Panel by PCR (STGIPR) testing. These shortages impact laboratories nationwide, resulting in the inability to identify a reference laboratory to forward this testing.

Alternative Testing Options

The tests listed below cover the range of pathogens detected in the Stool Gastrointestinal Panel by PCR (STGIPR) test. Depending on clinical circumstances and judgment, various combinations of these tests may serve as an appropriate substitution for STGIPR:

Special Communication

Unacceptable Specimen Transport Media for COVID-19 Testing

Due to incompatibilities with our COVID-19 testing laboratory equipment, Cleveland Clinic Laboratories has determined that specimens in the following media are not acceptable for COVID-19 testing performed by CCL:

The following specimen types are accepted by CCL for COVID-19 testing:

Special Communication

Supply Shortages Impacting Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and Trichomoniasis Testing

As a result of nationwide supply shortages caused by COVID-19 demands, Cleveland Clinic Laboratories may periodically be unable to provide Aptima^® Urine Specimen Collection Transport Tubes for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis testing.

Aptima tubes will continue to remain an acceptable specimen collection container for testing.

Because of the severe shortage of urine tubes, providers should reserve urine testing for men with persistent urethritis. This practice aligns with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Special Communication

Update: Cytogenetic Karyotyping & Chromosomal Microarray Testing

Cleveland Clinic Laboratories (CCL) remains committed to supporting patients and providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To meet the current demands for COVID-19 PCR testing, Cleveland Clinic Laboratories is temporarily reassigning some of our molecular pathology technologists to this effort.

As a result, cytogenetic karyotyping and chromosomal microarray testing will temporarily be sent out to a partnered reference laboratory. This will allow COVID-19 testing to continue uninterrupted while we increase our testing capacity.

CAP Statement on the Current Role of Serologic Testing for SARS-CoV-2

May 13, 2020 | From the College of American Pathologists

Understanding COVID-19 & Antibody Testing

May 7, 2020 | From Cleveland Clinic’s Health Essentials:

We’ve accepted the harsh realities of COVID-19 and we’ve adjusted our lives accordingly. And yet, we still have so many unanswered questions like why has COVID-19 taken such a detrimental toll, and where are we in the process of finding a cure?

To get a better idea of where science is headed, Cleveland Clinic CEO and President Tom Mihaljevic, MD interviews Serpil Erzurum, MD, Chair of the Lerner Research Institute.

COVID-19 Serologic Testing: FAQS and Caveats

April 29, 2020 | From the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine’s COVID-19 Curbside Consults:

There has been an immense amount of tangential discussion regarding the potential usefulness of serologic testing for COVID-19 recently. Although serologic testing has never been routinely used for diagnosing infections with “respiratory viruses”, such as influenzae, parainfluenzae, respiratory syncytial viruses, adenoviruses, or metapneumovirus, questioning its usefulness during the current outbreak has relevance.

That being said, during global epidemics of SARS, MERS, and H1N1 influenza, serology was never used in routine diagnostics. However, given the pandemic status of COVID-19 and the shortage of nucleic acid detection kits and/or swabs in certain areas, it raises the prospect of resorting to serology as an alternative to directly testing for the presence of the virus. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDAS) has recently issued a clear statement on COVID-19 serology.

Updated November 9, 2023

Respiratory Virus Testing

Cleveland Clinic Laboratories offers several respiratory testing services to healthcare organizations & providers.

SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) testing is available for the qualitative detection of these viruses in respiratory specimens from individuals with appropriate signs, symptoms, and risk factors.

All three viruses are expected to be in circulation during the 2023-2024 respiratory virus season.

If you have any questions, please contact your CCL Account Manager or Client Services for assistance.