Viral Culture Discontinuation

Effective December 4^th 2024, the Corewell Health Microbiology Laboratory will discontinue the following viral culture orders. Viral culture is relatively slow and insensitive as compared to molecular options that are now available as the recommended standard of care.

Obsolete order	Specimen	Recommended alternative
Herpes Simplex Viral Culture (LAB9460)	-Swabs (genital, nasal, ocular, oral, rectal, skin, etc.) -Cerebrospinal fluid -Blood	Herpes Simplex PCR (LAB9170)
	Aqueous fluid	HSV PCR, aqueous fluid (LAB1230247)
	Bronchoalveolar lavage	HSV PCR, BAL (LAB1230248)
	Bronchial washing	HSV PCR, bronch wash (LAB1230246)
	Tissue	HSV PCR, tissue (LAB1230413)
	Tracheal aspirate	HSV PCR, trach aspirate (LAB1230251)
	Tracheal washing	HSV PCR, trach wash (LAB1230252)
	Vitreous fluid	HSV PCR, vitreous fluid (LAB1230253)
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Culture (LAB255)	Amniotic fluid	CMV PCR, amniotic fluid (LAB1230177)
	Aqueous fluid	CMV PCR, aqueous fluid (LAB1230187)
	Bone marrow	CMV PCR, bone marrow (LAB1230176)
	Bronchoalveolar lavage	CMV PCR, BAL (LAB1230179)
	Bronchial washing	CMV PCR, bronchial washing (LAB1230185)
	Cerebrospinal fluid	CMV PCR, spinal fluid (LAB1230175)
	Eye swab	CMV PCR, eye swab (LAB1230186)
	Pericardial fluid	CMV PCR, pericardial fluid (LAB1230182)
	Pleural fluid	CMV PCR, pleural fluid (LAB1230181)
	Stool	CMV PCR, stool (LAB1230178)
	Tissue	CMV PCR, tissue (LAB1230420)
	Tracheal aspirate	CMV PCR, trach aspirate (LAB1230184)
	Tracheal washing	CMV PCR, trach wash (LAB1230188)
	Urine	CMV PCR, urine (LAB1230174)
	Vitreous fluid	CMV PCR, vitreous fluid (LAB1230183)
Viral Culture (LAB254)	Bronchoalveolar lavage	Respiratory pathogen PCR panel (LAB3359)
	Swabs (genital, nasal, ocular, oral, rectal, skin, etc.)	Herpes Simplex PCR (LAB9170) Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) PCR (LAB1230844)
Adenovirus Antigen (LAB2111005)	Stool	Adenovirus qualitative PCR, stool (LAB1230211)