Test Overview
Test Methodology

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Test Usage

Detection or quantitation of HHV-6. Used for monitoring of viral load to track the course of infection and response to treatment. Test detects both Type A and Type B.

Test Details
Days Set Up
Daily
Analytic Time

2 - 5 days

Soft Order Code
VHHV6
MiChart Code
HHV-6 DNA by PCR
Laboratory
Sendout
Reference Laboratory
Viracor Eurofins 6500
Section
Special Testing
Specimen Requirements
Collection Instructions

Blood: Collect specimen in a lavender top (EDTA) tube. Send intact specimen at room temperature (4 - 5 mL). The following specimen types are also acceptable: Bronchial Lavage (BAL) (2 mL in sterile tube, room temperature), Bone Marrow (2 mL in EDTA, room temperature), CSF (2 mL in sterile tube, freeze),and Tissue (moistened with saline, in sterile cup, freeze).

Lavender Top Tube
Alternate Specimen
Acceptable specimen types (1/23/12): BAL, bone marrow, bronch wash, CSF, fecal, plasma, serum, tissue, trach asp, trach wash, whole blood (EDTA).
Normal Volume
5 mL EDTA whole blood
Minimum Volume
4 mL EDTA whole blood
Additional Information

Reactivation of HHV-6 is frequently associated with clinical disease. Direct effects of HHV-6 include fever, rash, hepatitis, encephalitis, pneumonitis and delay or suppression of bone marrow engraftment. Bone marrow suppression by HHV-6 is often confused with rejection in a HSCT patient. Test sent to Viracor-IBT Laboratories.

Billing
CPT Code
87533
Fee Code
36123
NY State Approved
No