2015 Norovirus Outbreak Sample Submission Information

Date Sent: 01/16/2015 12:04 PM EST
Sender: Michigan Health Alert Network
Subject: 2015 Norovirus Outbreak Sample Submission Information

Message:
The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) Bureau of Disease Control, Prevention, and Epidemiology (BDCPE) and the Bureau of Laboratories (BOL) have modified the 2015 norovirus specimen submission protocol. These modifications are due to participation in a study that validates a new norovirus rapid test. BDCPE and BOL are asking that:

• Samples are collected within 3 days of disease onset ideally but may be collected as long as 7 days maximum after onset
  
• 4 ml (or gram) of stool should be obtained per patient
  
• Samples are mailed as they are collected (instead of batching outbreak samples per normal submission guidelines)
  
• Samples may be shipped via UPS and billed to the MDCH BOL account
  
• Samples must be mailed as soon as possible after collection
  
• A minimum of 3 samples are required to be submitted for each outbreak, however, there no longer is a maximum number of samples that can be tested-MDCH would like to receive as many samples as possible
  
• A MDCH BOL Patient Data Collection Form, in addition to the Cluster and Facility Outbreak Notification Form and BOL Single Test Requisition Form, is required to be completed and submitted for all samples
  
• BOL Multiple Patient/Sample Test Requisition Forms can no longer be used
  

More specific instructions and the Cluster and Facility Outbreak Notification Form, BOL Single Test Requisition Form, and MDCH BOL Patient Data Collection Form can be found in the attachment of this message or at www.michigan.gov/cdinfo. Please contact Jennifer Beggs, Shannon Johnson, or Brenda Brennan at (517) 335-8165 with any questions.

Thank you for your efforts!