Test Order

Corynebacterium diphtheriae, C.ulcerans, C. pseudotuberculosis, diphtheria

For isolation and/or PCR: Throat, nasal and wound swabs, pseudo-membrane, and sputum.

For isolate confirmation: Pure culture isolates or cryopreserved isolates.  

For PCR only: Extracted DNA.

0.1 mL DNA; 0.2 mL preferred

Throat, nasal, or wound swabs should placed in tubes of transport  medium and kept refrigerated at 4 °C until shipment. Sputum should be placed in a leak-proof plastic tube and refrigerated at 4 °C until shipment. Pseudo-membrane should be placed in a leak-proof plastic container with physiological saline and kept refrigerated at 4 °C until shipment. Pseudo-membrane in formalin is not acceptable. Isolates should be refrigerated at 4 °C on an agar slants or frozen in cryopreservative and stored at -70 °C until shipment. DNA extracted from specimens should placed be in leak-proof plastic tubes and kept frozen at -20 °C until shipment.

Common transport media such as Amies or Stuart may be used for swabs. Isolates can be frozen at -70 °C in cryopreservation medium; for best results a 24-48 hour subculture on common agar slants such as blood, trypticase soy, or nutrient is recommended. Pieces of pseudo-membrane for culture and PCR must be in physiological saline; formalin is not acceptable.

For best results, specimens should be shipped within 24-48 hours of collection. Specimens refrigerated (isolates on slants, swabs in transport media, pseudo-membrane in saline, sputum) should be shipped overnight on gel ice-packs. Specimens frozen (cryopreserved isolates, extracted DNA) should be shipped overnight on dry ice.

 

CDC does not accept routine shipments on weekends or holidays. Please make sure packages arrive Monday - Friday.

 

Ship to:

<Insert CDC Point of Contact>

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

RDSB/STATT Unit 12

1600 Clifton Road, NE

Atlanta, GA 30329

<Insert CDC Point of Contact's Telephone Number>

 

All samples must be shipped in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal regulations. Upon shipment, submitter should send an email to the CDC POC providing shipping company, shipped date and package tracking number.

 

Sender is responsible for shipping charges. International submitters must request CDC's import permit and include this with the Air Waybill.

PCR is not a confirmatory test for diphtheria toxin production. PCR detects the presence of the diphtheria toxin gene but does not show diphtheria toxin production.  Prior antibiotic treatment will adversely affect culture and PCR results. Whenever possible, specimens collected prior to administration of antimicrobial agents should be used to determine infection with Corynebacterium spp.

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