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Testing Guidelines
Test Request For Human Arbovirus Panel
(a.k.a. IDPH Specimen Requisition Form) - PDF
- Diagnostic testing for WNV is generally NOT
recommended for individuals with non-specific "flu-like" symptoms in
the outpatient setting. There are many causes of these non-specific symptoms
and testing for WNV would be non-productive for the majority of patients.
- Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from all
patients with encephalitic syndromes or aseptic meningitis should be sent to
the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) laboratory for free arbovirus
testing. Acute serum and CSF will be tested for IgM antibody against WNV and St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) and, when a patient is 18 years of age or younger, California (LaCrosse) encephalitis (LAC) testing will also be performed. Specimens should be sent to the Illinois
Department of Public Health Virology Laboratory, 2121 West Taylor Street,
Chicago, Illinois 60612. The cost of shipping will be the responsibility of the
submitter.
- WNV testing should also be considered in the
setting of other neurologic syndromes, especially severe muscle weakness.
Approximately 10 percent of patients in the 1999 New York outbreak had complete
flaccid paralysis and were originally suspected to have Guillain-Barre
syndrome.
- In order to submit specimens from patients with symptoms consistent with West Nile virus infections, a link to the Test Request For Human Arbovirus Panel (a.k.a. IDPH Specimen Requisition Form) is provided; this form must accompany submitted specimens.
- Laboratory testing for WNV is available through the IDPH laboratory from May 15 to October 31 (or until 2 weeks after the first killing frost).
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