Testing will be performed only by request from a clinical microbiologist/virologist or infectious diseases consultant. Request form must include relevant clinical details and state the clinician who has approved the test. This is a notifiable disease.
Area |
Health Science |
Lab name |
Clinical Virology Laboratory |
Lab location |
Wallaceville Science Centre, Upper Hutt |
Test name |
Mpox virus real-time PCR |
Organisms |
Monkeypox virus (Family: Poxviridae, Genus: Orthopoxvirus) |
Requested for surveillance |
yes |
Notice required |
yes |
Sample requirements |
Skin swabs of the lesions collected in viral transport media. Please state the body site of the swab collected. |
Media requirements |
Viral transport media |
Specimen requirements |
Serum (~1 mL) Clinical details including travel history, symptoms and date of symptom onset must be provided for testing to be performed. |
Pre-transport requirements |
5 ± 3°C within 24 hours |
Transport requirements |
5 ± 3°C within 24 hours |
How results reported |
Report will state whether Mpox virus is detected or not detected |
Turnaround time |
2 working days |
Referral link |